Movies to Watch for in July 2009

The summer season of big movies is halfway done. There have been robots aplenty, a floating house and some angels and demons. We have had plenty of sequels, some original stories and a fair share of remakes.

Have you had enough yet? So far the summer has been filled with a lot of flicks that have promised butts in the seats but not a single one has hit the 500 million dollar bench mark. Will July be the month that movie-goers finally show up to embrace their big summer hit? Harry Potter sure hopes so; it was a lucky month for The Dark Knight last year.

So let's look at the month of July and the big screen. I will highlight the movies that are going to making headlines and some of the movies that might slip past the radar.

The Big Popcorn Flicks

Without a doubt (sorry Mr. Depp) the big movie coming out in July is Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Some folks might have grumbled when Warner Brothers got scared of vampires in love and pushed this movie back, but the buzz for this film is still pretty good. It has the same director as the last movie and promises to be an even darker tale as we nearly reach the end of the series. The movie will focus on the past and present of the evil wizard Voldemort and his quest to destroy the young wizard Harry. Expect big action, raging hormones and at least one scene that will make most folks in the theater weep. (Releases July 15^th)

The other big popcorn flick that will be trying to steal the spotlight from the wizard world is the tommy-gun toting, cat and mouse crime caper known as Public Enemies. This movie stars two of today's biggest actors: Johnny Depp as criminal/hero John Dillinger and Christian Bale as the FBI agent charged with catching him. The charming and award winning actress Marion Cotillard will class-up the film as Dillinger's love interest. Many of the moments were shot in the actual locations where Dillinger lived and died, and the preview, at least, gives some pretty stunning visuals. In the more than capable hands of veteran director Michael Mann this movie promises to be a history lesson with an action punch to it. (Releases July 1^st)

Comedy Anyone?

The summer season is also the time for the big comedies of the year to bring in people. Just last month, The Hangover did surprisingly well in the box office. Sacha Baron Cohen is hoping folks are still ready to laugh and perhaps feel a little bit uncomfortable with his mockumentary Bruno. The movie follows the misadventures of Bruno, a fashion designer, as he travels the world duping real people for a laugh. Despite squeaking by with an R rating this movie is sure to spark some controversy. The original subtitle was "Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable in the Presence of a Gay Foreigner in a Mesh T-Shirt". The question is, will people laugh in their seats more than they squirm? The verdict is not out yet, but either way this movie promises to be like nothing else out this month. (Releases July 10^th)

Judd Apatow, the man that brought you Knocked Up and The 40 Year Old Virgin returns this summer with a comedy that promises laughs but also some drama. Funny People is about, not surprisingly, stand-up comics. The story follows successful stand-up comedian George Simmons (played by comedy giant Adam Sandler) who befriends a young upstart (the very talented Seth Rogen) around the time he finds out that he might only have a year to live. Despite the heavy themes, early screenings have suggested the movie is fairly light. Jeffery Wells of Hollywood Elsewhere has said the movie was not only both funny and sweet but also a brilliant film. It appears that Apatows golden touch is still strong. (Releases July 31^st)

For those that like a little romance mixed in with their comedy, Columbia Pictures will try to woo you with their film The Ugly Truth. The movie stars Katherine Heigle (of 27 Dresses fame) and Gerard Butler (previously seen mostly naked in 300). Butler plays a chauvinistic shock jock that gets teamed with Heigle, who is a romantically challenged morning show producer. At first the two clash, of course, but something tells me by the end of the movie they find love. With two solid lead actors this movie might seem a little "by the book," but it might be worth a laugh or two. (Releases July 24^th)

For The Kids

If you hadn't noticed, the kids seem to be eating up 3D comedy movies and Fox is striking while the iron is hot. Thus they are bringing to 3D projectors (and 2D ones as well) the third Ice Age movie, Ice Age Dawn of the Dinosaurs. All the voice talent from the previous movies have returned and the plot is mainly about the original cast of critters discovering a hidden tropical valley under the ice where dinosaurs still roam. Hijinks and adventures are sure to ensue, but the burning question on most people minds will be if that little squirrel Scat will finally get his nut. (Releases July 1^st)

If tropical valleys under the ice seem too farfetched for you, than have a friend take your kids to go see G-Force. It's about a group of secret agent guinea pigs that have their government program shut down and are forced to go live in a pet store. This talking-animal movie might seem a little silly, but it has some serious talent with stars like Sam Rockwell, Penelope Cruz and Nickolas Cage all lending their voices to the adventuring pets. This movie will also be in 3D. (Releases July 24^th)

Under the Radar

Not every movie coming out this month is a big blockbuster or a 3D kid flick. Some smaller films are being released that show a lot of promise. One of them is 500 Days of Summer that finds Joseph Gordan-Levit (before he puts on a mask for G. I. Joe) falling in love with Zooey Deshanel whose flighty character Summer gives this indie charmer its name. (Releases July 17^th)

Another indie romance that comes out in July is all about finding love despite personal difficulties. The lead character Adam is also the title of this film about a space-obsessed man with Asperger syndrome (a form of autism) who falls in love with a girl in his building and is surprised to find that she is falling in love as well. (Limited Release July 29^th)

Ryan Gosling and Kirsten Dunst start in another indie film coming out in July called All Good Things. This drama is about a rich real estate scion that has an affair with a girl from the wrong side of the tracks. When the girl ends up missing, a detective stumbles on some information that leads to even more questions and more bodies. (Releases July 24^th)

Finally if you're looking to be scared silly by a little girl there is the thiller Orphan. The movie starts Peter Sarsgaard as a father who adopts a sweet little orphan girl who turns out to be something quite sinister. I saw the trailer for this one and it made me shiver.

And that's mostly it for July. Those are your main choices and all of them show promise. Just don't wear yourself out too much because there is still one more month to summer and be assured there are plenty of big movies still coming. (Releases July 24^th)

Sources
Hollywood Ellsewhere