Top 10 2009 Fanboy Summer Films

Summertime. The season where my Fanboy really gets to be fulfilled after hibernating through all the Oscar snobbery. Here are my top picks for this seasons fanboy films.

10) The Boat That Rocked – Really exciting cast plus the guy who brought you “Knotting Hill” and “Love Actually” in a new comedy. How can I not be waiting in anticipation.

9) The Hangover – Real reason I checked this one out is because Zach Galifianakis is in it. Turns out Ed Helms is in it too and it looks pretty funny.

Funny People – Co-produced by Happy Madison Productions and Apatow Productions with the leading guys from both companies heading up the casting line. You know you’re curious.

7) G.I. Joe – Any boy who grew up with the most awesome toy soldier in the world that was held together at the waist by a weird hook and rubber band contraption will be seeing this movie. I am one of those boys.

6) Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – Will gladly be paying the overly expensive ticket price at the box office to see some more ultimate fanboy madness in the form of robots in disguise. Thank you very much.

5)Up – Pixar. That is all that really needs to be said.

4) Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince – By far my favorite book from the series. Been waiting since last Winter when they pushed this one back to a Summer release.

3) Terminator Salvation – Can a terminator film be successful without Arnold headlining it? I think so. But don’t worry, our governor will be making a cameo just in case.

2) Star Trek – I was devistated when after the release of “Nemesis” it was said that there would no longer be any Star Trek films with the “Next Generation” cast. Fortunately one of the greatest minds in film entertainment took the reigns on this restart on the Star Trek film franchise. I’ll be lining up with the other Trekkies for this one the night before.

1) Wolverine – I would see this film just to hear that beautiful “Snikt!” sound once again coming from Hugh Jackman’s knuckles. This will be another definite midnight showing on my schedule. Luckily I have a fangirl wife to join me so I don’t look like a complete nerd for this one.

Top 10 2009 Cinesnob Summer Films

Quick listing of my cinesnob picks for this Summer. Unfortunately since Summer is more of a Fanboy season there are only 7 as opposed to the 10 stated in the post title. The number 10 just happens to look better when people see it on their blog reader.

7) State of Play – Same director of Last King of Scotland and a pretty strong cast. Political thriller based on a BBC television serial. Should be interesting

6) Little Ashes – British drama highlighting three of Spain’s greatest artistic minds in history. Very snobby script plus Robert Pattinson is in it and he is so dreamy. ‘Nuff said.

5) Taking Woodstock – True event based comedy-drama film about the family who owned the land Woodstock took place on. Very curious how Demetri Martin’s first feature film will do.

4) The Taking of Pelham 123 – Subway hostage situation movie with an “Inside Man” feel to it. Denzel and Travolta headlining this one, two actors I have great respect for.

3) The Soloist – Robert Downey Jr. & Jamie Foxx, two guys with great talent. Mix that in with classical music and the same writer from “Catch & Release” and “Erin Brockovitch”, should make some good mojo.

2) Public Enemies – Depp & Bale in a gangster bank robbing action-drama with Michael Mann at the helm. That’s just good math.

1) Inglourious Basterds – This is my next cinesnob obsession. Tarantino. Nazi war times. Brad Pitt. Who isn’t excited about this one is the better question.

A Cinesnob Speechless

This just in. “Fast and Furious”, the fourth installment to “The Fast And The Furious” film series, has officially broken the record for a spring movie release opening weekend box office results. Ever. After three days in theaters the film, starring Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, has already grossed $72.5 million. Thats is over $2 million more than the previous holder of the record, “300″.

As a cinesnob and even as a fanboy I am stunned. I knew Riverside, even the Inland Empire, would welcome this film with open arms but I had no clue that it would reach this kind of acceptance nationwide. A movie about fast, tricked out cars that boasts the same two guys who starred in movies like “The Pacifier” and “Into The Blue” as its leading male roles has just broken a world record in box office results in the first quarter of the film year. Now, I can come to grips with it being the highest grossing film of 2009 so far. (A) Other than Watchmen, 2009 hasn’t been the best year for really great movies so far and (B) Summer hasn’t come around yet for the real heavy hitters to come out. But still, its broken a record that goes beyond this year and into the history books of forever.

I may not like the film or its franchise but I gotta respect it at least for its ability to pull ticket sales like that in an economy like this with the box office having the hard times its been having for the last few years. Will I be seeing it? No. But I’ll give it a little clap for at least accomplishing something worth noting.