The Movie Geek

by Brandon Athey
Features Editor

It is with a mixture of relief and sadness that I write this, my final “Movie Geek” column. My four years at Monmouth College have been filled with many memories and unforgettable experiences. The ability to not only write my own movie column, but to become features editor the second semester of my freshman year are just a few highlights of my MC experience. While The Courier and MC in general have experienced many changes over the years, each has been a constant part of my life these past four years. I know it is clichéd to say that time flies when you’re having fun, but in this case, the saying rings true.

I had an absolute blast writing my entertainment column for The Courier. It allowed me to share my passion for movies and pop music with others, plus it led to me becoming an English major somewhere in the process. To those who have stood by me and have become avid readers during my seemingly brief tenure as “Movie Guru/Geek,” I thank you. Without your feedback, friendship and support, I would not have continued writing when everyday stressors like finals and massive thesis papers would have otherwise prohibited me from doing the voodoo that I do somewhat well. To all my fellow Courier staff members over the years, as well as Student Publications Advisor Tom Withenbury, thanks for the camaraderie and the encouragement during this small but significant part of my life. I wish the future editors and staff good luck, and I will be looking for the next Roger Ebert to appear in subsequent semesters. I know there’s a budding critic out there somewhere. However, before I get too sentimental, let’s get down to business for the last time, shall we?

The summer seems to be filled with promising new releases, but many of them are sequels, unfortunately. “Mission: Impossible 3” opens today with the increasingly psychotic Tom Cruise pitted against recent Oscar-winner Phillip Seymour Hoffman as the villain. Like the other two installments, this just looks like a way for Cruise to make money so he can do more personal projects like “Vanilla Sky” (eww) and “Magnolia.” If this means the egocentric actor sleepwalks through explosions and stuntwork so that we as an audience can get more in-depth performances out of him somewhere down the line, then more power to the Cruise-meister. Just please stop brainwashing poor Katie Holmes, Tom, and all will be forgiven.

The other Tom, Mr. Hanks, returns in Ron Howard’s adaptation of the Dan Brown mega-seller “The Da Vinci Code” this month as well. This looks to be a taut summer popcorn thriller that will unfortunately make twice as much green during its opening weekend than the likely-superior “Cinderella Man” made during its total box run last summer. Maybe Russell Crowe just needed the mullet Hanks sports in this film to make one of my favorite movies from last year a little more popular. Who knows?

Johnny Depp returns as Captain Jack Sparrow in “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.” More importantly, so does the amazing, uber-gorgeous Keira Knightley. The trailer looks to be a retread of the throwback matinee-style action flick that made the first so much fun. Any movie that has sword fights and Keira Knightley gets my vote automatically.

Speaking of more sequels, “X-Men: The Last Stand” looks to mutate across multiplex screens this Memorial Day. Brett Ratner (“Red Dragon”) takes the directorial helm this time around, replacing Bryan Singer (“The Usual Suspects”) who signed up to do a rival comic book adaptation instead (more on that later). Hopefully, Ratner doesn’t pull a Joel Schumacher (“Batman and Robin”) and ruin the franchise. I think the film does look exciting, but Kelsey Grammer as the Beast? I don’t know about that one…

Of course, the comic book adaptation that Singer directed, and the film I’m looking forward to seeing the most this summer, is “Superman Returns.” As a former comic book geek, the release of this film and the new “X-Men” installment is enough to tickle my Spidey-Sense and make me soil my Hulk underpants. The recently-released second trailer gave me goosebumps and made me feel like an 8-year-old boy again. Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor is a dynamite casting decision, and he looks that he might even give Gene Hackman a run for his money. Newcomer Brandon Routh looks to be a promising Clark Kent/Superman, and I like the idea of Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane. Again, it is better than Kelsey Grammer as the Beast. I haven’t been this excited about a summer movie since, well, “Episode III” and “Batman Begins” last year (seems so long ago, doesn’t it?). In terms of summer releases, nothing else matters. I’m going to be first in line June 30 to see “Superman Returns,” the outside world be damned.

Funny men Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell return to the big screen this summer with “Click” and “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” respectively. Never fear, Steve Carrell is also here to make “Little Miss Sunshine” sparkle in multiplex screens. Oliver Stone also unleashes “World Trade Center” this August. After the release of Paul Greengrass’ “Flight 93” recently, I wonder if it is too soon to be putting this much about the September 11 tragedy on the silver screen. Otherwise, the summer looks a little on the dull side to me, with little else to recommend or be excited about. I know by August I will likely be proven wrong, as there is a new Vince Vaughn/Jennifer Aniston comedy, “The Break-Up,” Robert Altman’s “A Prairie Home Companion,” and the Owen Wilson flick “You, Me, and Dupree” also emerging this summer. Although the summer seems to suffer from sequel-itis a bit, let’s just hope they are good ones. Well, that’s it for me. It’s been a fun four years, and I hope you have had as much fun reading my work as I have had writing it. Hope to see you at the movies, and feel free contact me if you have any movie queries or debates. Remember, this is not the end…it’s only the beginning of greater things to come.

Brandon’s Director of the Week:

Howard Hawks

Why? Since he was a part of the “Old Hollywood” studio system, he directed a wide variety of films, ranging from witty screwball comedies like “His Girl Friday” to classic westerns such as “Rio Bravo.”

Recommendations:

There are so many great films that he was involved with, it is impossible to condense the list. However, “Scarface” (1932), “Bringing Up Baby” (1938), “Sergeant York” (1941), “To Have and Have Not” (1944), “The Big Sleep” (1946), “Red River” (1948), “Rio Bravo” (1959), and “El Dorado” (1966) are all worth checking out.