A new journey begins

 So I'm about to start a new chapter in my life, I am coming off the road.  Since 2003, I've been on the road full time as a Class A CDL driver working different events for different agencies and clients.

In 2001 I was looking for a change, actually formulated a plan and was going to go to graduate school at the University of New Haven for a Masters in Fire Science (the great thing was there was no testing requirements). For 8 years I had been working in auto claims and was tired of the old "IV R/E CV" claims. Fire Science offered an opportunity to stay in the industry but do more specialty claims in the hopes that it would translate into more money (it was actually a sound plan in theory). Suffice to say a friend of mine had been working in the event marketing industry for several years needed a partner for the Coca-Cola Holiday Caravan (run by ignition, inc. out of Atlanta) so I quit Progressive for good in October 2001 and didn't look back. After Caravan finished up the plan was to start grad school on January 2, 2002. After getting shut out of any classes for the winter tri-mester I managed to get a job on the Olympic Torch Relay (also run by ignition, inc.) starting in Topeka, KS all the way through to Salt Lake and even stayed to activate at venues around the city.

After getting a taste of event marketing I decided to forgo grad school and ended getting on the Harley-Davidson 100th Anniversary Open Road Tour (ignition again, don't know what these guys saw in me but I am very grateful). The H-D ORT was 2 year tour that went to did shows in Atlanta, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Toronto and Dallas. In 2003 we went overseas to Australia, Japan Spain, Germany and then wrapped it up in Milwaukee. That was pretty much the pinnacle of my fledgling event marketing career. One of my teammates recommended that I get a Class A CDL in order to get higher paying gigs, so I did.

So now it all comes to an end. On 8/13/2012 I will start my 1st day as a producer for Momentum World Wide in their Chicago office (still going to work on the Army account). I had thought about going in the office someday and I didn't envision leaving in the middle of the season but the time was never going to be better. Part of me is kind of glad to be leaving the road. Over the last 18 months I've slowly become more and more disenchanted with the life. As for the work, I feel as if I've plateaued and wasn't getting any better at what I did. Maybe I needed a new challenge. It's been 10 years since my last "plan" and there's plenty of potential for this to be a disaster but I'm going to give it a go. For the 1st time in 10 years I will be paying rent and I hope to buy a place by October if not sooner. Since 2005 I've been debt free and now my overhead is about to skyrocket. I'm about to enter the same world as the friends I grew up with. Scary.

It's been a wild ride to say the least. It started out as a lot of fun but as I started working long term gigs it became more like a real job. Eventually I was given a position of tour manager and that meant responsibility, one of the things I wanted to avoid. I've been to a lot of places and met a lot of people, some more memorable than others but that's the way it goes. As they said on the Harley tour, "it's not about the destination, it's about the journey." One journey has ended and another begins.

Here's a list of the companies I've worked for over the years...

• ignition, inc.: Coca-Cola Holiday Caravan, Harley-Davidson 100th Anniversary & Coca-Cola Slim Can sampling tour.

• Ripple Effect: The Seussentennial

• Schwan Foods: The Red Baron Flight Club

• Next Marketing: GM Card
• Javelin: Bacardi and Animal Planet Expo

• Momentum WW: US Army

There were some other companies I worked for to fill some gaps here and there in whatever capacity, driver or brand ambassador.

 As a driver I've been all over. I've never worked an event in Hawaii (went there on a family vacation when I was in 8th grade) nor Alaska (only state I haven't been yet). Maine is the only other state that I've never worked an activation but I've driven through there many times. Here's where I've worked:

• Alabama: many school blitzes for the Army tour as well as races in Talladega for both the Army and for GM Card.
• Arizona: Tuscon Airshow for Schwan, Holiday Caravan and have driven through many times.
• Arkansas: If you drive across country chances are you'll go though Arkansas or get your truck washed in West Memphis. Worked the Seussentennial (2004) and Holiday Caravan (2006) in state.
• California: Holiday Caravan (2003), Torch Relay (2002), Harley (2002), Army (2007, 2011 & 2012), Red Baron(2004-5), Seussentennial (2004), AP Expo (2006) and GM Card (2005).
• Colorado: Torch Relay (2002), Army (2011), Bacardi (2006). Colorado is where I got run with the Olympic Flame.

• Connecticut: Holiday Caravan (2001) and AP Expo.
• Delaware: GM Card and Army at the track.
• Florida: Every tour I've worked on except the Seussentennial and Holiday Caravan.
• Georgia: Again, just about every tour I've worked on.
• Idaho: Torch Relay. Also it's lovely drive through the state on I-90.
• Illinois: Army, Seussentennial, Red Baron and AP Expo.
• Indiana: Army, Seussentennial, Red Baron and AP Expo
• Iowa: Never worked an event here but when working for Schwan the roof of the trailer I was driving peeled off in a windstorm while eastbound on I-80. This particular day almost put an end to my event marketing career in 2004. I was ready to quit after a harrowing day.
• Kansas: Torch Relay, Army, Seussentennial, Red Baron and AP Expo.
• Kentucky: Seussentennial
• Louisiana: Bacardi and Army
• Maryland: AP Expo, Army and the Harley Tour.
• Massachusetts: AP Expo, Army, Seussentennial, Slim Can, Holiday Caravan and GM Card.
• Michigan: AP Expo, Army, GM Card and Seussentennial.
• Mississippi: Seussentennial.
• Missouri: Craftsman is in St. Charles so if you're in the event marketing industry, you're going to have to come to Missouri. AP Expo, Army and Seussentennial.
• Montana: Torch Relay and Seussentennial.
• Nebraska: Drove through it several times and stayed there during the process.
• Nevada: Mostly you're working in and around Vegas. Mostly worked the Army tour at the track but we set-up the Holiday Caravan on the strip.
• New Hampshire: Holiday Caravan, GM Card and the Army Tour.
• New Jersey: Englishtown for the Army tour.
• New Mexico: Torch Relay and have driven through, fueled up and stayed overnight. When traveling to and from the west coast you're going to hit the scale in either San Jon or Gallup. It can't be avoided.
• New York: worked some dirt track race in Syracuse for GM card and worked the Jones Beach Airshow for Red Baron.
• North Carolina: The Army tour uses Spevco in Tobaccoville for maintenance of the current assets (Spevco built them as well). Red Baron, Army, GM Card and AP Expo.
• North Dakota: The Fargo Airshow for Red Baron in 2005. If all goes wrong with this move I'm making, my back-up plan is to work the midnight to 8am shift at the Blue Beacon in Fargo.
• Ohio: Slim Can, Seussentennial, Army, Holiday Caravan and Red Baron.
• Oklahoma: AP Expo, Holiday Caravan and Seussentennial.
• Oregon: Seussentennial and Torch Relay.
• Pennsylvania: Holiday Caravan and Seussentennial.
• Rhode Island: Holiday Caravan and Red Baron.
• South Carolina: Army.
• South Dakota: Can't remember working an event here but had to drive through it several times.
• Tennessee: AP Expo and Army.
• Texas: Airshows, NASCAR, school blitzes and the AAB. Every tour except Holiday Caravan.
• Utah: Torch Relay and Holiday Caravan.
• Vermont: I want to say Holiday Caravan in 2001 but I can't remember. Ignition used to have an office in Manchester until they moved out of there by 2004. Maybe they still have a warehouse there. Who knows.
• Virginia: GM Card, Army and Red Baron.
• Washington: Army, Seussentennial and Red Baron.
• West Virginia: No events but I've driven through there a lot. I like to hit the Flying J on I-64 right before the I-77 interchange.
• Wisconsin: Harley Tour, Seussentennial, Red Baron
• Wyoming:No events but stayed at the Clarion in Sheridan several times while working for Red Baron on account of their large parking lot. There's a Flying J off the same exit.

 It's all over. With any luck I won't want to jump out the window of the 17th floor office. Given I'm trading one set of headaches for another but if life were easy then we'd all be good at it. I will still get to travel for sight checks and certain events. If all goes well in that respect I will be able to keep my Platinum Premier status with Marriott Rewards and I will start building up airline miles. Another thing I will have to do is to get some friends. The only people in Chicago who aren't from the office (or friends/roommates of people from the office) are bartenders and wait staff at a few area drinking establishments. That means I will actually have to be social, which is another disaster waiting in the wings.

Now I got started in event marketing at a later age so I didn't spend a lot time jumping for tour to tour. I was pretty much interested in long term gigs so I haven't worked on a whole lot of programs. Some of the best events I've worked were on the Harley tour but that had to do more with the venue. Harley was a great time and a huge learning experience. Holiday Caravan was all about volume. We would do 2 activations a day for 5 days then we'd have 2 travel days. It was hard but it was worth it. The best crew I worked with was on the Strength in Action Tour. We were designated Tour Bravo. We were skilled, efficient and the best team of the 4 tours. The photo below was the 2009 members of Tour Bravo, thr gold standard of event crews.

The AP Expo tour was also another group of solid people. Once we got our feet under us, it took me until the 3rd gig to get really proficient, we were really good. The Harley crew underwent a lot of turnover. Our tour manager was asked not to come back after our first event and he took one our best workers with him. One dude who worked in the same tent as I did quit during our 3 activation. That was tough because I had a difficult time doing my job and his absence left me with his work in addition to my responsibilities.  A couple of guys were then recruited by ignition to work another tour during the winter break. One dude whom I was rooming with on the overseas leg ended up quitting the day before we were leave to Barcelona. All in all this was a solid group of people. I've lost touch with a lot of them but I hope they're all doing well.

Obviously some of my favorite times were on the Harley Tour. In Barcelona we went out on for the Festival of St John to mark the summer solstice. Apparently everyone goes down to the beach, drinks, smokes weed, gets naked & jumps in the Mediterranean Sea. The funny thing was, was that there was no law enforcement. At Mardi Gras, there's cops everywhere and there's still not enough. Also in Barcelona some big wigs got us into the Rolling Stones concert at the soccer stadium adjacent to the venue where we were tearing down. So Barcelona was the pinnacle and the Harley Tour was a once in a lifetime gig so it's tough to measure up. The show we did in Hamburg was pretty cool as well. There was a film festival in a public square near our hotel and it was cool to  see Easy Rider in German subtitles.We also got comp tickets to the Stones there too. Tough to beat.

As I stated earlier, I haven't worked on a lot of different programs but I've been to a lot of places. Here is a list of some of my more memorable event marketing moments. It's not necessarily a list of my favorite events but the ones that stick out in my mind that are non-Harley:

• Coca-Cola Holiday Caravan 2001: My first venture into event marketing. My teammate was a good friend who'd done this tour for several years.  I'm very grateful for him getting me into this filed of work though I'd never say it to his face. His ego doesn't need any more stroking. He's a father of 3 now and is out of event marketing. To this day I don't know what he does for a living. Some of the highlights were an activation we did at Stu Leonard's in Danbury, CT a children's hospital in downtown Boston and when he took the truck & trailer to Rockefeller Center (which wasn't easy considering that 9/11 was barely 3 months old). We even managed to score tickets to see The Fellowship of the Ring by allowing the theater manager to take photos of the lit up tractor & trailer underneath the marquee (not that the deal needed to be made but he offered so we accepted).
• Coca-Cola 600, Charlotte, NC: In 2008 is where Tour Bravo 1st started coming together as a cohesive unit. By the 2009 race, our office handlers marveled about how efficient we were and how quickly the site got set-up. Charlotte is also the home of one of my favorite establishments, Moosehead Bar and Grill. Awesome place with great food that the majority of the teams from the Army tour have made it a must visit stop.
• Wal-Mart, Blytheville, AR: This was on the Coca-Cola Holiday Caravan. I don't remember the exact date but it was in December of 2006. I was dressed as Santa Claus and my teammate would take pictures (we had a throne type set-up around the truck). A couple came by to say hello & Merry Christmas then entered the store. They came back out and gave me some donuts with frosting because as Santa Claus I was "too skinny." 
• Michael Peterson concert in Knoxville, TN: This is memorable because the event itself was a disaster. This was in February of 2008. We brought all our equipment to the Knoxville War Memorial or something to that effect. Peterson's tour was sponsored by the Army (he wrote a song about soldiers that someone liked) and Michael (who's a real nice guy btw) would go to local high schools, generate buzz about the show and give out free tickets. That particular week there was a flu epidemic in Knoxville so most o the schools were closed. For all the stuff we brought, we only got 41 visitors. What made it worse was the fact that it was very cold and rainy.
• Atlanta Motor Speedway: There are 2 events that we did in 2008. The Kobalt Tools 500 in March and the Pep Boys Auto 500. The Kobalt race because on Saturday it snowed all day. Suffice to say we (and no other exhibits at the track for that matter) were prepared for snow. Now if we were in Buffalo, NY,  this would've been an ordinary day in March but in Georgia, it's a different story. Everything was closed, the race cancelled and very few people were out and about. The client cut the staff but we remained open. The reps from the staffing company (Silhouette's) were actually manning the registration area (thank you once again to Lori and her crew). Because of the snow, the rockwall and the packbots were unusable but we stayed open. I was doing snow angels on the rockwall mats. Eventually someone thankfully decided to pull the plug. My hand was still broken and a glove wouldn;t fit over the cast so I was using a sock to cover my hand. As for the Pep Boys race, we had a massive rain storm on Friday. Not just any rain storm, a monsoon! We sat around for 2 hours jokingly trying to squeegy water out of the site before the powers that be cancelled the day. Atlanta Motor Speedway was where I got to take a ride in one of the Steerman bi-planes from the Red Baron stunt team. That was in 2004. It's pretty cool to say the least to be flying in an open cockpit aircraft.
• AP Expo-Miami, FL: This activation was memorable because of the massive rain storm that caused the cancellation of the final day. It flooded our area and made a mess of everything. The photo doesn't due the mess justice. We were soaked beyond the rational capacity for thought. There was a tag along program with us (none of us liked the guy who was running the program) and their stuff was under water.

• Tropicana 400, Chicagoland Raceway 2004: At the conclusion of this event was when I started driving a large tractor & trailer by myself. I drove the rig back to the hotel on Sunday afternoon then drove back to Schwan's in Marshall, MN the next day. My 1st dealing with heavy stop & go traffic in a huge metro setting. The guys I was caravaning with all congratulated me.
• Boston Garden, 2/28/03: This was when I was working on the Coca-Cola slim can sampling tour. This particular night was the coldest night Boston has seen in 5 years. We were "guerilla" sampling on the night of a Celtics game by the arena (the name has changed a lot since then so I'm going with Boston Garden). It was so cold that any condensation on the lip of the can froze within seconds. If you left a can out too long, the contents froze. Ignition gave me this job as something to fill the gaps in-between Harley gigs (the tour was in process of going overseas) and some of the other guys from the Harley tour got to work on this program as well.
• Pocono 500, June 2007: On Saturday June 9th the team threw me a surprise party for my birthday. It was a nice gesture that I will always remember. 

 On June 10th (day of the NASCAR race) the crew had a wager as to what could torn down first, the entire site (which myself & 2 other guys handled) or the tower trailer (which the other 4 guys took care of).  I think we lost but it marked the 1st and only time one of the guys worked hard (he always bragged about it but I never saw it).

• Daytona 500 & Matanzas High School, February 2008: As I've stated in a previous post, the 1st few months of the Army tour in 2008 were rough on everyone. The Daytona 500 was out 1st big event with all the new equipment. It seemed like elements were moved around 3 times and the original layout was scrapped. The last day the brand ambassadors worked without a break and someone made us stay open an extra hour. We started tearing down at 4pm and didn't finish until after midnight. We had about 20 people on the teardown (my hand was broken so I was all but useless) and everyone was a bit on edge. 

We had a school visit on Tuesday 2/19 at Matanzas HS. When we arrived at 6am, we found the only spot where we could set-up and started to unpack (we didn't do a very good job of packing the trucks for the next event, a lesson learned the hard way). All the JROTC rep wanted was the rockwall and because of insurance reasons we couldn't offer it. So after the 1st period, his classes no longer came out. It was a nightmare. We finished packing up at 9pm and we still had to drive across the state to the Gainesville area. That's when one of my core guys tells me he's going to quit. I begged him to stay on at least until my hand was out of the cast and he reluctantly agreed (he's still working on the tour btw). On a side note, I actually don't mind hanging out in Daytona as long as its not a race weekend. There's a Holiday Inn Express right off of I-95 that has ample truck parking and it's next to a Miller's Ale House, which is a really nice establishment (it's a Florida chain though). That particular area has got some good spots (mostly chains given) but when the race is in town, all bets are off.

• Eerie County Fair, 8/15-8/19/2007 near Buffalo, NY: The dates may not be exact but our next event was the race in Bristol, TN and the date of the race was 8/25. This was memorable because I was still sick after the Watkins Glen race, the hotel where the team was staying didn't have enough rooms for all 7 of us so Pops & I stayed at another location which turned out be nicer and it was also the scene of an epic in team argument. The argument wasn't that big a deal but it was over the hours of the event because we were going to work split shifts. As guys were tossing around their ideas (I stayed out of it because I didn't care when I worked) one of the other guys who I'll refer to as "Rookie" kept adding his opinion where it wasn't needed. So after a few minutes Pops asks "Rookie" politely to stay out of it. Then our handler bursts out with, "Pops that's enough! Leave 'Rookie' alone, he's untouchable!" "Rookie" was very adept at getting his shots in so there was no reason for our handler to jump ugly like he did but it happened. The handler would later go on record as never using the word "untouchable," he only got involved because his father was there and he didn't want his father seeing this. In fact, Pops would later state that I made up the "untouchable" comment. I never did. In retrospect the argument should've never have happened, especially at a sacred moment as Outback Night. Also memorable for the the "Rockwall Goddess" and our run in with Patty at a bar after we tore down.
• Seussentennial Tour, March 2, 2004 in San Diego: March 2 is the birthday of Theodore Geisel, known to the world as Dr. Seuss. The tour had been scheduled so that we woulod hit his old home town of San Diego for his birthday gala. It was memorable because it was a formal event and I had to dress up like this....

It was a lovely event with guest speakers and we even got an appearance from his widow (his 2nd wife).

So those are some of the memorable dates from the road life of my event marketing career. It was a lot of miles and a lot of laughs (not mention aches & pains). I wouldn't trade it for anything. Thank the gods that I got out of claims when I did.

Earlier today I dropped my old crew at the airport. No fanfare just a "take care" and "see ya on down the road." Never was I one of those guys who sent out an email when I left a place stating how it was a privilege working with everyone, not that there's anything wrong with that but it's not me. I enjoyed working with the all the guys over the years (there were a few exceptions of course) but that time is done and it's time move on.

On a final note, here are some of my favorite over the road songs:

Motorhead - (We Are) The Road Crew

The Flying Burrito Brothers - Six Days on the Road

Metallica - Fuel

Dwight Yoakam - A Thousand Miles From Nowhere 

AC/DC - Highway To Hell

Thanks for your time.

On this day in history...July 27th

On this day in 1940 saw the 1st appearance of one of the world's greatest thespians...Bugs Bunny. The episode that Bugs first appeared was titled "A Wild Hare." It was the first of many confrontations with Elmer Fudd, a terrible hunter who could never get the best of Bugs. In fact, you'd think Fudd would give up hunting rabbits after so many unsuccessfully embarrassing runs ins with Bugs but give the guy credit, he's persistent (of course the same could be said for Wile E. Coyote & The Road Runner but perhaps another time). "A Wild Hare" was the official first appearance but his prototype was used in 1938's "Porky's Hare Hunt."

Bugs was more or less modeled after Clark Cable's legendary scene from It Happened One Night. Bugs's iconic line, "what's up doc", was added by director Tex Avery. Avery stated it was a common phrase while growing up in Texas. When "A Wild Hare" first aired the audience loved it so much it became the classic phrase it is now. "A Wild Hare" was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Short Subject: Cartoons (also nominated was "Puss Gets the Boot," the 1st appearance of Tom & Jerry).

I've pretty much been fascinated by Bugs Bunny since I was a kid and I've followed all of his teachings (yes I'm a 42 year-old dude who not only still watches cartoons but quotes dialogue from them as well). Very rarely has anyone ever gotten the best of him, though he never could defeat the tortoise in a race, he lost in "Tortoise Beats Hare" and again in  "Tortoise Wins by a Hare". Over the years Bugs has served in the armed forces, been there for some of history's greatest moments, been all over the world, performed in an opera and even became a public enemy with a $1,000,000 bounty on his head. 

Tex Avery and Robert McKimson are credited with creating Bugs but others who were involved with his development include; Chuck Jones, Friz Feeling and Bob Clampett. Perhaps the most distinct person to be associated with Bugs was his voice, Mel Blanc. Blanc voiced Bugs and most other Merry Melodies characters for over 40 years. In fact Blanc was the voice for many iconic cartoon characters from Hanna-Barbera like Barney Rubble and Mr. Spacely from The Jetsons. Blanc even did voice work for MGM on Tom & Jerry. 

 Bugs Bunny is an American legend. He's kept Americans laughing through a worldwar and for over 70 years. There was also a time when Bugs wasn't so politically correct (this goes for a lot of cartoons and entertainment in general throughout the 40's and 50's). Unfortunately that was a product of the time. I mention it because I own several Volumes of Warner Bros. cartoons on DVD and they have Whoopi Goldberg make some comments towards that subject. Thanks to all those who brought him to life. What are some of your favorite Bugs Bunny episodes?

DJ B-Clear's Summer Movie Preview - August

Going to try and give the masses a regular person's view of August's film releases. It may not be a great month considering that Spider-Man & Batman will dominate most of July and into August but there may be some titles worth seeing.

Total Recall (August 3rd): Remake of 1990 Paul Verhoeven adaptation of the Phillip K  Dick story starring The Governator. Suffice to say as a 20 y/0 I liked this film a lot. I've seen the previews of the remake and I must admit that I am looking forward to seeing this film. It's directed by Len Wiseman, who helmed the Underworld franchise and Live Free or Diehard (Diehard 4) and stars Colin Farrell as Quaid, Kate Beckinsdale in the Sharon Stone role, Jessica Biel in the Rachael Ticotin role and Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston as the villainous Cohaagen. On the plus side it will have better SFX (not that the SFX were bad in the original but they are admittedly dated) and I am looking forward to an updated version of the Stone v. Ticotin fight (still an awesome scene) with Beckinsdale & Biel. Farrell could really use a U.S. blockbuster and I enjoyed the 1st Underworld installment , didn't like the 2nd one and never bothered with the 3rd so I'm not sure about Wiseman's abililty but the trailers look cool (as they should) and I will most likely see this film.

Christian Slater has two films opening up this particular weekend. First is Soldiers Of Fortune which quite frankly looks ridiculous. If your going to see one film this summer about an ensemle cast of mercenaries, wait for The Expendables 2. The other is a European based spy thriller called Assassin's Bullet. This looks better than SOF but the trailer makes it appear that it's a Bourne Identity type film. Slater isn't exactly on the A or even B list anymore so if you're looking for either title good luck.

360 (August 3rd): directed by Fernando Meirelles, who's done some awesome stuff but the critics rating is very low. It has an all-star cast of talent that are in an Altman type film where the characters are all somehow intertwined (Altman did this a lot and the last film I can recall like that was Woody Allen's You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger which I thought was very good). The film takes place in Europe and the trailer looks interesting but this type of film has been done before. For me it will depend a lot on my mood and if it's playing nearby or if it's playing in Chicago at all.

Other titles rounding out August 3rd are Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, the 3rd installment of the franchise. Since this film is not geared toward my demographic I will skip it but if you liked or have kids who liked the 1st 2 chapters then check it out. Celeste and Jesse Forever stars Adam Samberg & Rashida Jones who are high school sweethearts that married young and gradually grow apart. Rashida's life is going places and Samberg's isn't (what a surprise here based on some of his other works). I'm willing to bet that the plot is relatively predictable and I will stay away from this one despite it's solid RT ratings. Lastly is The Babymakers. It deals with a good looking couple trying to get pregnant the hilarity that ensues with their group of good looking friends. The theme is similar to The Switch, so look for a lot of sperm jokes. I was going to stay away from this even before I saw the trailer.

The Bourne Legacy (August 10th): the latest installment in the Bourne franchise. It stars Jeremy Renner (who is making a big name for himself since Hurt Locker) as another Treadstone project who fights to stay alive as his CIA overlords try to terminate his employment...permanently. Tony Gilroy directs and he's been involved with the original franchise to this should have the same feel as the previous installments (which is good) and there's a lot of the same cast from the last three. The trailer look excellent and I look forward to seeing this film.

The Campaign (August 10th): Stars Will Ferrell and Zack Galifianakis as campaign rivals. Ferrell is the incumbent who has won because he's run unopposed the last few elections. Galifiniakis is a newcomer who's clearly a fish out of water when it comes to politics. Jay Roach directs an all-star cast this could be a real funny movie or the best parts may be in the Trailer. Roach is probably the perfect director as Ferrell badly needs a hit (he's even bringing back Ron Burgandy for another go around in 2013) as his last few live action films haven't been that good (I never saw The Other Guys but it did well at the box office and I've been told good things). 

Hope Springs (August 10th): Stars Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones as a couple that have been married a long time and the spark may have left their marriage. Streep wants to try something new but Jones is a bit stubborn to say the least. They go to a couples retreat that's headed up by Steve Carell. I've seen this preview and it just doesn't interest me. This film was done recently with a younger cast and there doesn't seem anything new from the Trailer except for the stars are in their 60's.

Other films opening this particular weekend include a supernatural thriller set in 1921 London, The Awakening. I haven't seen this trailer but with so many supernatural thrillers out there it can be tough to determine which one to see. 2 Days in New York stars Chris Rock & Julie Delpy as couple living together in NYC with kids from a prior relationship and Delpy's father is coming to town. It's a comedy and it got high marks on RT but who knows with Chris Rock films. Red Hook Summer is the latest installment of Spike Lee's Brooklyn Anthology. Spike has kept busy doing some smaller stuff but you have to go back to Inside Job for the last time he had a hit. This could be what the doctor ordered for him to re-establish himself as a top notch indie filmmaker.

The Odd Life of Timothy Green (August 15th): is a Disney version of Ted except it involves a real child and Disney family schmaltz instead of a foul mouth teddy bear accompanied by dick & fart jokes. Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton play the parents who wish for a child of their own (they can't conceive & adaption seems like a plot line that just gets in the way) so they list the great qualities their child would've had, put the notes in a box and bury it in the garden. After a rainy evening, joila! a 10 y/o child shows up! I only mentioned this because it gives a good segue into the big release of August 17th but I couldn't believe this! Remember when Jennifer Garner kicked ass and did cool stuff? She more or less gave up that aspect to Hilary Swank. You have to go back to 2007 for her last cool role in The Kingdom. Since she married Affleck and has had children she's made an effort to do schmaltzy films and it's a crime in my opinion.

The Expendables 2 (August 17th): if you're puking because of the schmaltzy nonsense of the previous entry the this film should cure that. When the 1st installment came out in 2010 it was the 3rd of 3 elite mercenary unit (with all-star casts) films that get wronged and make thing right again through lots of gun fights. Of the 3, this was the best one. The original cast of your favorite 80's action heroes returns for another go around. This is not going to be Casablanca by any stretch. If you like a lot of machismo, fire fights, hand to hand combat, 3rd world despots being overthrown & Chuck Norris, then this is the film you need to see this in August. Be advised as of 7/18 the film hasn't been rated so it's a safe bet that it's going to be rated R. Send the kids to see the next entry...

ParaNorman (August 17th): from the group that gave us Coraline brings a story about an outcast kid that can communicate with the dead so to speak. He has to save his town from zombies and what not. The animation looks good so this definitely for the little ones.

Sparkle (August 17th): stars Jordin Sparks as a singer who struggles with her career in a girl group (think Supremes) and her family (the mother is played by Whitney Houston in her last role). This looks a lot like Dream Girls on the surface, as Derek Luke plays Spark's manager/love interest but be advised...it has not been reviewed yet and usually means bad things. Buyer beware on this title.

Saints and Soldiers: Airborne Creed (August 17th): I mention this title because it is directed by Ryan Little, who directed Saints and Soldiers in 2003. I saw the 2003 film and thought it was really good. It was a small budget war drama set during the Battle of the Bulge. This film deals with a group of paratroopers in 1944 France trying to fight their way back to their unit. Corbin Allred is again in this film as the group tries to do the right thing despite the fact that the "right thing" may increase their chance of getting killed. If this is playing in Chicago then I will see this film though I doubt it will be on a wide release.

Cosmopolis (August 17th): star every teenage girl's favorite vampire Robert Pattinson as a Wall Street mogul who appears to do a lot of things in his custom stretch limo. Normally I would runway from anything Pattinson does (he doesn't act so much as he broods his way thru scenes) but this film has a cast the features Samantha Morton (Control), Paul Giamatti (Sideways), Juliette Binoche (Cache) and is directed by legendary director David Cronenberg, so I don't know what to think. The trailer looks weird (a la Cronenberg) and it appears that Pattinson's dealings on Wall Street have brought about a financial crisis of some sorts. It got good numbers on RT so I'm up in the air on this. I may wait for more buzz to make a decision.

Why Stop Now? (August 17th): stars Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network) as a piano prodigy who has a big audition on the day he is to bring his mother, Melissa Leo (The Fighter), to rehab. The problem is the rehab facility won't take her so they go to her dealer, Tracy Morgan (30 Rock) for a score. Turns out Morgan is out of drugs so they all join together on a quest to get Leo some drugs so she can get high and be admitted to rehab and he in turn can go to his audition (it's given that hilarity ensues as it always does in these situations). The trailer was interesting and it's a solid cast and it might be worth seeing.

Premium Rush (August 24th): stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt (in another of 3 big releases this year) as an elite NYC bike messenger who accepts a package that needs to be delivered (give you a hint the title of the film is mentioned in the film). The catch is, bad guys and the cops want the package, making Gordon-Levitt's day more interesting. It's directed David Koepp by who's been part of some quality films so it might be worth a shot. Though it seems to have similar plot lines to 16 Hours and Safe in terms of a New Yorker (cop v. bike messenger) trying to deliver something (witness/child/package) important that everyone seems to not want to reach its destination.

The Apparition (August 24th): is another supernatural thriller flooding the market this summer. A good looking twenty-something couple move into a house that somehow becomes haunted during a (botched?) parapsychology experiment? The forces involved then do mean & nasty things to said good looking twenty-something couple. At some point the good looking female lead with the fantastic body will be accosted while wearing a tank top & short shorts and I'm sure the ghosts get beaten in the end (or maybe not who knows). As it is with these types of films, buyer beware. There are so many supernatural thrillers that come out each year it's hard to pick the right one. So be careful.

Hit & Run (August 24th): This one comes from the producers of The Wedding Crashers and is directed by and stars Dax Shepard (his characters name is Charlie Bronson - really?) as a former getaway driver in the witness protection program. Bradley Cooper shows up one day as his former gang member who wants the money from their last score together (the one where Shepard drops dime on Cooper and Cooper goes to jail). Tom Arnold is cast as the bumbling U.S. Marshall who's assigned to Shepard. I guess this is supposed the be like The Driver but with laughs. Unfortunately I've seen the trailer (not by choice) and its as stupid as it sounds. How is it that a moron like Dax Shepard bags an uber-hottie like Kristen Bell? There's no realistic scenario where she would be with him, none whatsoever. Even in film.

Compliance (August 24th): is a bit of a thriller where Dreama Walker (Becky) plays a fast food employee who is accused of a crime by a police officer over the phone. The "officer" tells Becky's manager, played by Ann Dowd, to detain her and informs her that she is allowed to strip search Becky. The preview looks kind of creepy and interesting but in all honesty I've seen this premise before. In 2008 Robin Williams starred in an episode of Law & Order: SVU ("Authority" was the title) where he tells a fast food manager over the phone to "detain" a female employee and call Benson & Stabler (who quickly arrest the guy because you can't do that). It seems like it could be an interesting film but the premise has been done before and you mean to tell me there's no lawyer in the restaurant?

Other films released on this weekend include Robot and Frank, which stars Frank Langella as a retired thief whose kids are worried he can't live alone. Instead of a nursing home, they get him a robot (hence the title). The Victim is directed by & stars Michael Biehn (Terminator) as an ex-con living in the secluded woods who meets up with a nubile, young hottie who was attacked by a pair a crooked deputies in which her nubile young hottie friend was murdered. Biehn must then try to save her and elude the deputies who are anxious to cover things up. What is it about nubile, young hotties that go into the woods looking to party? Does anything good ever come from this? Thunderstruck is a film where Kevin Durant's hoops skills are magically switched over to a high school kid. Kid (who probably has no business being near a basketball court) becomes the star of his team while Durant is left scratching his head wondering where his talent went. Think along the lines of Freaky Friday meets Cornbread & Earl. I'd be willing to bet that the kid with Durant's talent realizes that the talent was just "inside him" the entire time and Durant gets his talent back to win the big game.

Lawless (August 29th): is a film based on an actual events/exploits of the Bondurant Brothers who ran illegal booze through Virginia during Prohibition. The film has an all-star cast (Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain & Gary Oldman to name a few) and is directed by John Hillcoat so it has enormous potential and the trailer was very good. My only issue is that I'm not a big Shia LaBeouf fan. However I feel that this is a film that should be seen based on the director and the cast (regardless of my feelings toward Shia).

The Day (August 29th): is a post-apocalyptic thriller where the trailer is a little vague (maybe that's a good thing). A group of scavengers go into a house and find something they didn't bargain for perhaps. Then they have to fight their way out (think Book of Eli meets John Carpenter's original Assault on Precinct 13). The trailer is gritty and the film looks like things get bloody. The thing is post-apocalyptic thrillers (though not nearly as numerous as supernatural thrillers) tend to be hit (The Road , The Road Warrior) or miss (Doomsday). So buyer beware but it may be worth it.

There five decent sized releases coming out on August 31st, none of which seem all that fantastic to me. For a Good Time, Call...is about an uptight mid to late 20's gal who is forced to share an apartment with a former rival, who's naturally a free-spirit. The uptight gal is slowly seduced by the free-spirit's lifestyle and manages to get involved in the free-spirit's phone sex gig (although she's the uptight side to start). I bet the movie ends with the former rivals becoming BFFs and the uptight gal is not so uptight anymore. The Possession is a film about a cursed box (sound familiar?) haunted by a "malevolent spirit of Jewish folklore." Think The Box meets The Golem. The rules for supernatural thrillers apply here. The Good Doctor stars Orlando Bloom as a doctor who falls in love with an 18 y/o patient after he saves her from an ailment. Trouble is she gets getting sick and having to back to being under his care. Sounds like some hunky stud doctor has got some issues with obsession. This is a departure for Bloom from his usual pretty boy roles. Though it's PG-13 so I doubt it will get to dark. The Baytown Disco has sparse details around it but it has a good cast. It's involves rednecks, female assassins, Native American Hunters, Federal Agents, a baby and a whole lot of running gun battles. Don't know what else I can say. The Tall Man stars Jessica Biel as small town nurse who's skeptical about a mysterious entity abducting the children of the small town. That is of course until her child gets abducted. Be advised...supernatural thriller rules do indeed apply here. If you're going to see one Jessica Biel film in August, go see Total Recall.

DJ B-Clear's Summer Movie Preview - July

The Amazing Spider-Man (July 3rd) : This film starts the 2nd wave of summer blockbusters. Not much is opening before it opens and then big film, Batman, opens up 2 1/2 weeks after it. I was a huge fan of the Spider-Man comic of the 80's and 90's and saw all of the Tobey McGuire films. So they've retconned the film version of Spider-Man and made it a little more true to the early comic. Gwen Stacy was Peter Parker's first love interest (Mary Jane Watson came later) and they all made Peter's past a little more mysterious (originally he was just an orphan living with his elderly Aunt & Uncle). The villain is Dr. Connors' evil alter-ego, The Lizard (in the comic you knew Lizard's alter-ego was a scientist because he was still wearing his lab coat). The trailers look great, great cast so I consider this film a must see, I don't know if I will be able to see it opening day as I will be in New Orleans for an event but I won't be far behind.

Savages (July 6th): Is the latest film by legendary director Oliver Stone. Now Ollie has had more misses than hits over the last few years and it's possible that his best days are behind him. However, it is Oliver Stone and to me, his work is worth checking out. The story deals with 2 marijuana growers/distributors who live a great, violence free drug dealing life. Both dudes are young, smart, good looking and are happy with both being the love interest of Blake Lively. Things start to turn sour when Selma Hayek's cartel wants to make a move to take over the distribution. Things get violent from there. This film had a good cast (Benicio Del Tor & Travolta) and the trailers look kind of cool. I will check this film out depending on how wide a release it has & where I am but I'm going to give Ollie a chance.

There are a bunch of other smaller films that open on the July 6th weekend.  Take This Waltz has a cast that includes Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen and Sara Silverman. It's a relationship film that sees Williams married to Rogen but having a steamy affair with Luke Kirby during a hot Toronto summer. The Pact is a haunted house type film. Since there are usually so many of this type of film, it's buyer beware. Sometimes they work & sometimes they don't.  Crazy Eyes, is a "grass is greener" type film where Lukas Haas seems to want more from his LA life then money and a steady stream of babes.  The Doca-Deca Pentathalon is about 2 competitive brothers who try to out do each other in their own olympics during a family reunion. It's written by Jay & Mark Duplass who've got solid Indie cred so it might be worth checking out if it's playing at a theater near you. There's also a Katy Perry movie that will also be available in 3D, if that's the kind of thing you're into.

Red Lights (July 13th): Is a suspense/thriller that has a solid cast (DeNiro, Sigourney Weaver, Cillian Murphy & Elizabeth Olsen) and it's directed by Rodrigo Cortes (Buried). Murphy & Weaver play psychic debunkers who eventually go after a mysterious blind psychic, played by DeNiro, and weird things happen. The trailer looks good but this is a tough call. Much like The Pact, these films are numerous and hit or miss. I may wait to see what kind of buzz this generates before I make a decision.

Trishna (July 13th): Stars the beautiful Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire), directed by Michael Winterbottom (24 Hour Party People) and set in India. Pinto is a woman who falls in love with the son of a wealthy land owner and things don't go as she would like. I doubt this film will get a wide release but I mention it because I like Winterbottom's work and Pinto is every bit as talented as she is stunningly gorgeous.

Other releases on July 13th include The Imposter, a documentary about a boy who was kidnapped in Texas and turns up in Spain 3 years later. The boy is returned to his family but things seem a little off. Easy Money is a Swedish crime drama. I haven't seen a trailer but the premise sounds cool. Your favorite per-historic pals are back for another go around in Ice Age: Continental Drift 3D. Mostly for kids but I'm sure it's got a few jokes and tear jerking moments for adults too. Salute is a documentary about the 200m dash medal ceremony at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games. Tommie Smith & John Carlos were stripped of the gold & bronze medals for their "black power" salute (which wasn't the case). The film is directed by Matt Norman, the nephew of Peter Norman who won the silver medal and stood on the podium with Smith & Carlos. If you're into sports mythos then this might be a film to see in whatever medium if  the chance arises. I was born in 1970 so I don't know a lot about the turbulent late 60's (seeing how they don't teach it in any curriculum) and I welcome any chance to learn about this sort of thing. Union Square stars Mira Sorvino (from the where have you been file) about estranged sisters who get back together and we find out why they've been estranged for so long. opens on July 18th and it takes place in WWII France and features a young cast putting aside their difference to help a Jewish girl from being exposed and taken by the Nazis.

July 20th is the opening weekend of The Dark Knight Rises, the 3rd installment in Chris Nolan's version of the franchise. This is THE must see film of the summer. Bale is back as the Dark Knight and the villains are Bane (Tom Hardy) and Catwoman (Anne Hathaway). Gary Oldman reprises his role as Jim Gordon and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake (don't know what his role is but it should be interesting). I will be in line on opening day!

Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (July20th): is a film that may not go into wide release here in the states but it's directed by legendary director Takashi Miike. Miike also directed 13 Assassins which was a very cool film. Let's be honest, who doesn't like a good samurai film? The trailer looks cool and Miike seems (to me at least) to try and make a Akira Kurosawa type epic. That's not a bad thing.

There are other smaller indie type films opening this weekend. they include, The Well Digger's Daughter which has an ensemble cast about life in Paris as WWI starts. 30 Beats also has an ensemble cast and is about relationships among a diverse group of New Yorkers.

Ruby Sparks (July 25th): is brought to us by the same group that gave us Little Miss Sunshine. Paul Dano plays a writer who creates a character (who turns out to be his dream girl) only to have her come to life. The trailer looks interesting but it seems a bit like Stranger than Fiction. However, Little Miss Sunshine was a really good film so this might be worth watching. Plus it got a 93% audience rating on rottentomatoes.com.

The Watch (July 27th): stars Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn and Jonah Hill about a neighborhood watch team that tries to thwart an alien invasion of their suburban community. There was a lot of negative buzz about this film when the whole George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin incident went down a few months ago. However, these guys are going after aliens so the negativity kind of went away. The preview is about what I'd suspect from a bunch of comic actors who start a community watch and end up battling aliens. I will most likely pass on this one.

Killer Joe (July 27th): I saw the trailer for this and it seemed interesting. It's directed by legendary director William Friedkin (French Connection & The Exorcist) and has a solid cast that includes Thomas Hayden Church, McConaughey, Gina Gershon & Emile Hirsch. It got high marks on rottentomatoes.com and it's about drug dealing kid who needs to come up with some fast cash. His plan is to have a contract killer eliminate his mother for the insurance money but he can't pay the deposit. Things go awry from there. I liked this trailer and I will probably take a chance on this one.

There are a few foreign films that I'm going the mention that open on this particular weekend. Klown: is a Danish film that is difficult to describe without giving too much away. I haven't seen a trailer yet so I don't know much about it other than it's about a guy who takes his brother's kids on a canoe trip and things get inappropriately funny from there. The film was released in Europe in 2010 and is just making its way to eh States. It could be an interesting film. Sacrifice, directed by Kaige Chen, is a revenge film set in medieval China. This one had me at revenge. 

That about does it for July releases. August releases will come out shortly. Any feedback is welcome as well as info on films I may not have mentioned. Thanks for your time.

DJ B-Clear's Summer Movie Preview - June

When I have free time (which is sometimes very often) I watch a lot of trailers. Here's a list of June films that offer some interest in seeing or in turning around if I see the title at the cineplex. The Avengers officially started the summer movie season on May 4th so we are about to enter it's second month. So let's get started.

Snow White and the Huntsman (June 1st): I've seen this trailer several times and I have to admit that it does arouse my curiosity. Charlize Theron is very talented and seems to be perfect in the role as Ravenna, the evil queen. So far I'm a fan of Chris Hemsworth and he looks perfectly cast as the Huntsman. The visual effects they show in the trailer seem really cool as well. So there's a lot to like in this film. My problem is Kristen Stewart. She seems more famous for the hype around the Twilight series than for any talent she may or may not possess. Plus, although she's younger than Theron, she's not nearly as beautiful as her (IMHO). It's also PG-13 so it may not be catering to my demographic. This film hasn't gotten critically reviewed yet but it's got a 90% audience rating based on previews.

High School (June 1st): Here's another film that hasn't been critically reviewed yet but has a high rating (81%) based on audience reaction. Suffice to say it has a good cast with Adrien Brody and Michael Chiklis. It's about an ambitious high school kid, Matt Bush, who smokes weed for the 1st time just when the Principal (Chiklis who looks brilliant in the trailer) is instituting a school wide drug test. So the brainiac freaks out about losing his scholarship to a prestigious college when he tests positive. He turns to his stoner pal for help and the stoner's plan is to spike brownies for the school bake sale with the theory that if all the students test positive then they can't do anything. Of course once the plan goes in motion, hi-jinx ensue. Adrien Brody plays the weed grower, "Crazy Ed." This is another film for a younger crowd. I'm no longer into high school films nor am I into "stoner" films. I may skip this.

For Greater Glory (June 1st): This film stars Andy Garcia, Eva Longoria, Reuben Blades & Peter O'Toole in a film that takes place during the Cristero War in mid 1920's Mexico. I just looked this up in Wikipedia so I didn't know of it's existence. So it's a sweeping, epic period piece with a good cast. The director Dean Wright has worked on several impressive titles in the visual effects department but this is his first time in the director's chair. The trailer wants to instill in you a feeling of almost Braveheart type expectations. I may see this but I've got to be in the right mood for it.

Other June 1st releases include Apartment 143, a group of parapsychologists investigate strange goings on in an apartment. Battlefield America gives a look at the urban dance scene that features 2 drill Sargent types whipping a bunch of teens in shape for a big dance showdown. Piranha 3DD,yet another film that features piranha feasting on young, good looking scantily clad beach goers or something to that effect. There was a Piranha 3D from 2010 so I'm not sure why we needed another one just 2 years later and I don't even know what 3DD means. See this at your own peril. There are some other smaller titles that I don't have a lot of interest in.

Prometheus (June 8th): This film is why there's not much big films opening around it. I was told by my brother-in-law to check out the featurette about this film in December and I was hooked. It's directed by Ridley Scott and has a cast that includes Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Guy Pierce and Noomi Rapace. Early rumors was that it was an Alien prequel but then those rumors died down. Alien prequel or not who cares. Scott has done some masterful work over the years. The catch line is about finding Earth's past leading to it's destruction. The trailer was superb at sucking me in so I am in for this one, maybe even a midnight showing. There a few MUST SEE films this summer and this is one of them.

Safety Not Guaranteed (June 8th): I saw this trailer and I found it very interesting. It deals with 2 reporters who investigate a classified ad about time travel. The cast, other than Kristen Bell whom I don't recall even seeing in the trailer, isn't one that jumps out at you in fact, Aubrey Plaza (Parks & Recreation and Scott Pilgrim) is the only person whom I recall seeing in other stuff. It got high marks from the audience & critics on Rottentomatoes.com. It looks like a solid small film that's worth watching. I will be checking this out.

Dark Horse (June 8th): I saw this trailer recently and didn't think too much of it until they mentioned that Todd Solondz is the director. Jordan Gebler plays Abe, a 40 something dude who lives at home (Mia Farrow & Chris Walken are his parents) and works for his family's company. He meets Selma Blair at a wedding and she gives him the time of day so he decides to romantically pursue her. Solondz directed  dark, disturbing real life dramas Welcome to the Dollhouse and Happiness in the late 90's and has been off my radar for a long time. Before I found out Solondz was the director I thought this was something that Adam Sandler passed but I may check this out based on Solondz's past body of work.

Peace, Love, & Misunderstanding (June 8th): Is a film that I wouldn't look twice at but when you look at the cast and the director, well then I sort of changed my mind. It stars Katherine Keener (Being John Malkovich & 40 Year Old Virgin) as a high strung NYC lawyer who takes her kids to visit their hippie grandmother played by Jane Fonda. It also stars Elizabeth Olsen whom I think is very talented and worth seeing in just about anything. The capper for me was that it's directed by Bruce Beresford who has directed some excellent films over the past 30 plus years (Breaker Morant being my personal favorite). I don't how wide a release this film will get but it could be a hidden gem of the summer. Since it's an IFC Film it stands a good chance of not being some smarmy piece of family shlock.

Other June 8th releases include Lola Versus with Greta Gerwig (Damsels in Distress & Greenberg) as a woman on the verge of 30 who gets dumped by her fiancee just a few weeks prior to the wedding then sets out to find herself. Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted is the latest installment where our pals (voiced by Ben Stiller, Chris Rock & David Schwimmer) get in with a European circus in order to make their way back to NYC. Strictly for kids.

Rock of Ages (June 15th): If not mistaken this is the film version of a Broadway play. It has a star studded cast that includes Catherine Zeta-Jones, Russell Brand, Paul Giamatti & Tom Cruise. There's a possibility that Cruise will steal the show as Stacie Jaxx, lead singer of a fictional LA band. I don;t know much about this but it will have a good soundtrack I'm sure but I will probably stay away from it. It wouldn't surprise me of this did well at the box office. Film versions of Broadway plays seem to be hot & cold so we shall see as it will be up against stiff competition.

Your Sister's Sister (June 15th): Stars Emily Blunt (5 Year Engagement & Adjustment Bureau) as Iris, who helps her friend Jack (played by Mark Duplass), who's in a rut or a slump, by sending him to her father's cabin for reflection. As it turns out Iris' sister Hannah (Rosemarie DeWitt) is there after walking out on a 7 year relationship. Jack & Hannah hit off, thanks to Tequila, and end up sleeping with each other. The next day, Iris shows up setting off a series of uncomfortable events. Especially when Iris confides in Hannah that she secretly loves Jack (they're best friends). The film is written & directed by , Lynn Shelton, who's helmed a few independent films in her time. This looks interesting but I have to believe that I've seen this before somewhere. Twelve critics reviewed it and they all loved it, earning a 100% on Rottentomatoes.com. Plus it's so tough to dislike Emily Blunt.

Other films that have a June 15th release date are The Woman in the Fifth which stars Ethan Hawke as an American writer who moves to Paris to be with his daughter and write a novel. Kristin Scott Thomas also stars as what looks to be Hawke's love interest. Then there's That's My Boy which stars Adam Sandler & Andy Samberg. Sandler plays the neglectful father of Samberg who was a product of an "inappropriate student-teacher relationship." I saw this trailer and I wanted to throw up. That's all I need to say. It's shameful because Sandler has talent (Punch Drunk Love) but continues to churn out this garbage where he plays the same character that hasn't changed since the 90's. Extraterrestre (Extraterrestrial) and Americano are foreign films that might be worth seeing but probably won't be in any wide release so unless you live near an art house cinema you may not even know that these films are out there.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (June 22nd): Is a film that on the outset may look ridiculous but after I saw the trailer, it looked kind of cool. It's directed by Timur Bekmambetov who gave us Night Watch & Day Watch and is skilled in action films. Why not make an icon of America a vampire hunter? A good cast that includes Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Mary Todd Lincoln (the real Mrs. Lincoln was never as attractive as Winstead), Benjamin Walker as "Honest Abe" and Rufus Sewell who must be a villain. This looks kind of cool and could be a nice piece of escapism.

Brave (June 22nd): Is Pixar's latest animated release. Mostly for kids but Pixar has an uncanny ability to make solid films that appeal to all members of a family. I may not see in this in the theater but if I stumble across it on HBO or whatever I will sit and watch it (and probably cry my eyes out at the end). It's about a Scottish princess who longs for a more adventurous life than the one her family has planned for her. The voice cast includes Kelly McDonald (who is very talented & should be a huge star but she doesn't seem to be into fame), Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly and Craig Fergurson. Make no mistake, storywise, Pixar has been using the same formula since Toy Story but it has worked. Pixar is the gold standard of Hollywood animation.

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (June 22nd): Sure its a long title but it stars Steve Carell and Keira Knightley as star crossed lovers whose lives improve when the meet but the problem is that the Earth faces an impending doom. I saw the trailer and it looked interesting. Carell is VERY talented and can slip into just about any type of dramatic/comedic role and Knightley is extremely versatile as well. First time director Lorene Scafaria also wrote the film and has some indie cred in her past screenplays. In a summer of blockbusters, this could be a nice change of pace.

To Rome With Love (June 22nd): Is Woody Allen's latest work that has an all-star ensemble cast. Rome is the background in this one where several different relationships unfold. Allen has always been adept at bringing realistic relationships to life on the screen. I was 50/50 on Midnight in Paris (maybe it was Owen Wilson & Rachael McAdams as the too cute couple) but there were some very good parts to it. The trailer is filled with solid one liners but as a whole film, who knows. I will probably take a chance on this film depending on where I am when it comes out because it may only be in a limited release. It is Woody Allen and he may not be able to replicate his greatness of the 70's but he's more than capable of making a solid film.

Ted (June 29th): Is Seth MacFarlane's directorial debut where he voices a teddy bear that has come to life and has stuck by his owner, Mark Wahlberg, throughout childhood into adulthood. It's rated R so there will be a lot of bathroom and inappropriate humor (the best kind)! After I saw the trailer my 1st thought was "why?" I am a huge fan of Family Guy (which has been slowly faltering over the last few seasons) but there's a distinct possibility that the best jokes are in the trailer and is just MacFarlane doing Family Guy-esque voices to make the jokes? Or could it be a hilarious romp? I will wait and see on this one. If it has a good opening weekend and has some good buzz then I will check it out. If the buzz is bad or if it has a terrible opening weekend then I will pass. But if given a life or death choice, I'd choose Ted over That's My Boy without hesitation.

Magic Mike (June 29th): Stars Channing Tatum and Matthew McConnaughey as male strippers (what surprise McConnaughey in a role where he's shirtless most of the time) in a somewhat based on true story film. McConnaughey plays mentor to Tatum who seems to struggle with his life as a male stripper, following his dream as a furniture maker while trying to find love. It's funny that these two got paired because Tatum is probably a young McConnaughey (lots of shirtless roles) looking to make his way into better roles. The thing is McConnaughey managed to pick up some indie cred (Dazed and Confused) whereas Channing has mostly been beefcake (Step Up 2 the Streets) but that's not to say there's talent in there somewhere. There will be worse films to see but I can't imagine that this film will be any good. I could be wrong though.

People Like Us (June 29th): Directed by Alex Kurtzman, who has an interesting resume of screenwriting credits, this drama has a likeable cast (Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, Olivia Wilde, Michelle Pfeiffer & Jon Favreau) where Pine's father dies and he's forced to set his family's affairs in order. During this process he finds out he's got a long lost sister. This new knowledge makes him take stock in his life. This is another plot line that seems familiar (Rain Man comes to mind) but Kurtzman is directing the next Star Trek feature so it might be worth watching to see what he can do. It almost has too good a cast to be terrible but who knows.

Madea's Witness Protection (June 29th): I think the title says it all as Tyler Perry brings back the character that made him a household name. It also stars comic legends Eugene Levy and Doris Roberts so there's going to a lot of laughs. If you like some of the other Madea works than this one may be up your alley. I get worried because Perry is at the forefront of African-American filmmakers and there seems to be a danger of Madea going the way of the Ernest franchise. Perry has too much talent to let that happen but Hollywood has a tendency to toss African-American directors aside when they no longer bankable (John Singleton comes to mind as his 1st 3 features between 91-95 were excellent then his resume gets slim over the next 17 years. That's not to say he lost his talent but he's not making the same type films he once was which is unfortunate but this is a topic for another time).

That wraps up the June's releases. There's also a Neil Young concert documentary and some other foreign films. July will bring us Chris Nolan's final installment of the Dark Knight franchise. Thanks for your time.