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Iron Man, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Made of Honor, Sex in the City, Indiana Jones, Mongol, Incredible Hulk

Films Summer of 2008



Well, summer wackiness is well underway at your local movie theatre and the first batch of summer blockbusters has arrived. Some are already completing their run and there are lots more on the way. This is the time of year when every weekend seems to bring one, two or three new must see films, so let's give a quick look at what's already arrived and see how the summer is faring:

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Iron Man

This was one of the first of the action blockbusters to arrive, and so far, it is the best. Iron Man is based on a Marvel comic book character and it is well done, has a great cast and is definitely worth the price of admission. In fact, some people have liked this film so well, they have gone to see it several times.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Sequel to the original Chronicles of Narnia. When I saw this film I thought it was well done, but it seemed to be missing something that came through in the original. There was a lot of action and fantasy, but didn’t have any heart. I think the audience agreed with me and the box office for this film must have been disappointing to the producers and the studio, although it didn't do too badly.. Maybe they'll do better next time.

Made of Honor

This film was not a blockbuster and it did only moderately well at the box office, but I liked it. It is the story of two friends who have spent a lot of time together over the years, but the guy has never admitted to himself that he is in love with the girl. When she becomes engaged to someone else and asks him to be the Maid of Honor, he realizes that she is the one he has always loved and he tries to win her over before she ties the knot. Patrick Dempsey is very good and about one third of the film is set in the gorgeous highlands of Scotland.

Young At Heart

This is a wonderful documentary about a group of seniors who get together to sing rock songs on stage. We follow the participants and watch as they suffer from illness and some of them are incapacitated, and how the group carries on even when some of them fall by the wayside. Very entertaining and inspirational.

Shine A Light

Take the Rolling Stones, put them in front of the cameras and film one of their concerts in 35mm film and Imax formats. What could be better, especially if the director is Academy Award winner, Martin Scorsese? This is a great film for Rolling Stones fans and rock music fans in general. A real winner.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

This was one of the most awaited films of the summer. Harrison Ford reprises his role as Indiana Jones, and although he is getting a little long in the tooth for these kinds of films, he is excellent. Unfortunately, the story is pretty lame. In fact, my first impression was that it has been done better, by the previous Indiana Jones films. Maybe we'll get something better next time, if there is a next time, although this film is cleaning up at the box office and may turn out to be the number two film of the summer, as far as dollars earned are concerned, second to Iron Man.

Sex and the City

The girls are back in this epitome of a chick flick. I was not a fan of the series when it was on TV, so I didn't establish a relationship with the characters as some of my women friends did. But I dutifully went to see the film, and I even took my wife. She enjoyed it. I didn't. I thought it was four self-centred women with good paying jobs and who don't blink at the thought of spending $500 on a pair of shoes, all going through life trying to find their ideal mate. Unfortunately, I got the impression that they don't really care about their men, as long as they get their dream wedding and can say that they are married. I felt that these women were more in love with themselves than with their men. Oh well, I'm sure the women enjoyed it.

Kung Foo Panda

A delightful story that I managed to see at the Imax theatre. The film was sweet and had some very funny lines and I'm sure that the entire family will enjoy it. It also racked up some impressive numbers at the box office and will probably be around for a while, at least until the new Batman film hits town in July.

You Don't Mess With The Zohan

Adam Sandler is back in this over the top comedy. I'm sure Sandler fans will love it, but it was too stupid for me. Sandler plays an Israeli special forces soldier who fakes his death in order to go to New York and indulge in his real passion--hair dressing. Only problem is that Sandler's accent is terrible and much of the humour is sophomoric. Emmanuelle Chirqui is delightful as the Palestinian girl Zohan falls for. Not a bad role for a Jewish girl born in Montreal and raised in the suburbs of Toronto.

Mongol

This film was nominated for an Academy Award for best foreign film this year. It didn't win, but it's not a bad film. It purports to tell the story of Genghis Khan, from his childhood until he unites the Mongolian tribes into a deadly, cohesive force. Lots of action and good battle scenes. Mostly for the guys.

The Incredible Hulk

A second attempt to get it right. The previous film offended most of The Hulk fans. This film should satisfy most of them. There lots of action and special effects and you get to see a lot of Toronto, although the city has had its face digitally altered. Despite most of the negative reviews, this isn’t a bad film.


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Larry Anklewicz -- Bio and Archives

Larry Anklewicz. B.A., LL.B., is a lawyer, writer and film and video reviewer.  Mr. Anklewicz is author of “A Guide To Jewish Films On Videos” and has been a columnist for Canada Free Press, the Canadian Jewish News, and other local newspapers.  Mr. Anklewicz worked with the Toronto Jewish Film Festival for thirteen years, the last eight years of which he served as Program Coordinator and Program Director.


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