August Summer Movie Preview: Cooling down, wrapping up

August doesn't exactly end the summer with a whimper, but it doesn't end with a real bang either.

AUGUST 6

THE OTHER GUYS: I have long made my feelings about Will Ferrell clear in my writings. He's not just nails on the blackboard, he's a meat thermometer through the ear. His frequent collaborator/director Adam McKay is more talented than Dennis Dugan, for instance, but that's a bit like saying Wendy's is better than McDonald's. They're both still junk. PROSPECT: C

STEP UP 3D: Ya know, I could be a real smart-aleck here, but that's just too easy. Classic fish in a barrel. Suffice it to say I won't be seeing any new movies in the theater this weekend. PROSPECT: D

AUGUST 13

EAT, PRAY, LOVE:  Three things make this particularly interesting to me - in descending order of obviousness: 1) Julia Roberts, 2) Writer-director Ryan Murphy, the force behind my new favorite show, Glee and C) Murphy had the good taste to hire the best American cinematographer, Robert Richardson, who most recently shot Shutter Island and Inglorious Basterds - meaning  this will look several cuts above your average "chick flick." Sold. PROSPECT: A

THE EXPENDABLES: Good Sylvester Stallone movies come along once in a couple blue moons. Given the cast alone, this just might be one of the blue moons. PROSPECT: B

SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD: From the director of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. That's enough to sell me right there. Then there's the trailer.




Double sold. PROSPECT: A

AUGU ... ah, ya know what? The last two weeks of August are rarely worth it, I'm just gonna stop now. If you really wanna know the rest of the roster, or you need a substitute for Nyquil, click here.