Given Hollywood's complete disinterest, I'm gonna call the time of death on the summer right now. 8am on Thursday August 18th, Summer 2011 at The Multiplexes officially ended.
Oh sure you can still soak up some Frightful Nights and some barbaric dude named Conan before Labour Day weekend arrives and really throws cold water on it all, but let's call a spade a spade - we're all finished with this summer...we're all starting to look forward...we're all beginning to smell autumn in the air.
Right about now is when you'll start to see summer recaps - weighing out how the blockbusters did, and decrying the state of affairs with a longing for better times. I could follow suit, but if you'll recall - I already did that. In the time between then and now, my movie-watching slowed a little bit, more because of outside influences than lack of options, since a quick skim of the listings tells me that I would have half a dozen films that interest me to pick from were I to go to a screening tonight.
Being in this position pushed me to reflection on what exactly summer really brings us at the movies - and specifically, what it has brought me. The handy thing about this blog is that it allows me to take pen-to-paper and examine my passion from a statistical perspective. Examining what I have written about for the summers of 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011, certain things jump out...
- I have seen an increasing amount of films every summer. From 15 in 2008 to 21 last year. This year's tally sits at 19 and there are still a few titles I intend to see.
- Every summer has brought me at least two four-star films. The last two summers have actually given me four each.
- And give or take a quarter point, my average score for each summer's crop of films? Three stars out of four.
Interesting information, but what does it mean?
For starters, the fact that I am able to continually expose myself to more and more material is helping to keep the balance. Sure the blockbusters feel like they're disappointing more and more...but the indie offerings are delivering a great bounty, which is the spoonful of medicine to help the sugar go down. I don't say this to boast, I say it because I never want to forget it - I am truly lucky to live in the film-going market I do. (Sidebar: Analyzing these summers didn't even include instances where I catch screenings of old films)
The fact that every summer without fail has given me a film that I later regard as one of the best of the year is also telling. Whether it's just a studio not knowing where to put a smaller title, or a blockbuster delivering on its promise, I can't sob too hard at the state of summer at the movies when the warm months have given me THE HURT LOCKER, WALL-E, TREE OF LIFE, and INCEPTION. Thus it would seem that studios hording everything until the fall to angle for the best Oscar chances isn't entirely a true concept.
Finally, for better or for worse, the median score of my summer experiences is staying steady from year to year. Sure I catch some turkeys - summer of 2009 gave me two 1.5 star films on the same day!! - but they continue to be propped up. It doesn't take a stats wizard to understand that the steady rise in movies seen is helping to filter the crappy scores, but I can't easily point to a declining scorecard and say "You see! I'm not just being old fashioned! They don't make 'em like they used to!" It tells me that the goods are out there to be had...you just have to stray off the trodden path a little bit.
Taking a moment and summing up my own experience - and more importantly taking that summation and comparing it to what has gotten me this far was a bit surprising for me. I was all ready to sit here and say "Told Ya!"...but as in the past, the fact is that sort of negativity just isn't true. Understandably, my sort of luck isn't the norm all over; but three of my four top scores received wide releases. Ditto five of my six "excellent" films (3.5/4).
The fact is my friends, that we can get through a summer with nothing but happy memories. The trick, it would seem, is to always be selective, and wait to drown in SUPER 8...as opposed to wading in COWBOYS & ALIENS.
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My favourite movie of the summer, and the year, was Winnie the Pooh which seems like a random statement, but is true - it's the only film that I couldn't find much fault with. I might be setting my standards too high, but despite some good pieces other than that one I'm still waiting for something to write home about, so to speak.
(Of the last five years, I think 2009 was easily the best, especially in terms of what the first half of the year had to offer.)
Ugh, everything sucks, man. You don't even know, man. All Hollywood is these days is a collection of rich people desperately latching onto any money they can get. Don't even try and deny it! It's not like the good ol' days. You know, the ones way back when Hollywood was packed with a collection of rich people desperately latching onto any money they could get... :) *this ends Uni's snarky sarcastic comment for the day*
While my films watched total for this year is way down, my enjoyment to watch ratio is way up which I consider to be a win no matter how many movies I end up seeing. That includes the handful of 2011 Summer films that I've seen and the oldies I've gone back to visit. Around October/November as a lot of these Summer films trickle down and into the DVD market I'll probably go on a bit of a tear as there are quite a few I really do mean to see.
I admit... I was seriously considering seeing 'Winnie the Pooh.' Always liked that cartoon.
Anyone who complains about summer movies needs to redefine their definition of 'summer movie.' It doesn't have to be only about explosions and superheroes and aliens. It's easy to forget that, though, when that's where all the hype goes.
@ Andrew... Pooh is still 'round these parts, and I do want to see it. i fear that I'll run out of time before TIFF to squeeze it in.
Interesting that you choose 2009, as it was the summer where we felt the ripple effect from The WGA strike. Then again, I can hardly turn my nose up at a summer that delivered AWAY WE GO, (500) DAYS OF SUMMER, and DISTRICT 9
@ Helms... Oh brother - had I started talking about the classics/catalogue factor in this post, the summer gets even better. Between may and now I've seen titles like IRON GIANT, E.T., WEST SIDE STORY, and PARIS JE T'AIME on a big screen. Thanks to The Film Locker, I've seen dozens of other first-time gems on dvd.
You're right boy-o...if a filmgoer chooses wisely, and doesn't just blindly follow the heard, moviegoing can be damned near can't-miss...regardless the season.
@ Rich... I hear what you're saying, but remember this: You and I are lucky to be in the Theatrical markets we're in.
There are mid-size markets out there right now, where a twelve screen theatre has three screens playing Cowboys & Aliens, three more playing Conan, one playing The Apes, and one playing The Help. What's worse is that it's the only option within an hour's drive.
Selection is a godsend amigo - always remember that when you're out and around in Gotham.
I admit, it's a pretty dull summer as far as movies have gone. I've only seen 3 mainstream films and 2 art house movies. Not surprisingly, my favorite films this year are art house films like The Tree of Life and Midnight in Paris while the only blockbuster I liked was the last Harry Potter film.
I thought X-Men: First Class was OK (though I saw it for free by sneaking in to another screening) while Cars 2 was eh... though I did love the Hawaiian Vacation short. At least I had more time to stay home and watch a different array of movies so it hasn't been a total loss as far as films are concerned.
Blockbuster-wise I was terribly disappointed this year, having seen nearly all of them. Aside from Deathly Hallows Part 2, which we all expected to be at least solid, the only other summer blockbuster I enjoyed was Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
Thankfully, there were some really good sleepers to balance it out: Midnight in Paris, Bridesmaids, Horrible Bosses, The Tree of Life. Heck I even liked The Lincoln Lawyer.
@Mad Hatter: This post of yours was a joy to read. A bit like myself, you find the positives in movies. A lot of people bemoan the state of Hollywood movies, especially in the summer time, but with a little bit of an open minded and the ability to avoid what truly looks like crap, it is absolutely possible to have a good time all summer long.
Thanks for that little bit of positive reinforcement for a much maligned time of year at the movies.
@ The Void... But see - you saw five summer films and liked three of them. A summer that hits .600 isn't all that bad, is it?
@ Castor... Exactamundo - and year after year, I'm realizing that it's the sleepers that are really worth dropping the hard-earned on every summer.
@ Edgar... Thanks for reading! When I sat down to write the post I wasn't entirely sure where I was going with it, but when I started digging and started to see the math, I had to call attention to it.
I don't like summer for film. Even if there are a few gems in the mix, they feel better than they actually are (Source Code, X-Men)amongst all the Transformers and pooppisspenis comedies. Especially with the delayed releases here in Finland, the cinemas are playing some good stuff, but that's only because they're now premiering 2010 European films as well.
There's only one chain of theatres here that gets new releases. ONE! Fucking monopoly I tell you.
I'm still going to see Apes and Captain America, that just premiered this weekend.
They're still running Black Swan.
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