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Countdown to ‘Super 8’ and other summer flicks

By Staff | Apr 27, 2011

West Virginia film fanatics and moviegoers may be counting down the days until the J.J. Abrams/Steven Spielberg flick, “Super 8” opens in June. However, the filmmakers have created a teasing viral campaign on the Internet slipping in a scene here and a plot ingredient there. It’s the same style “interactive clues” that were dropped prior to the opening of “Cloverfield.”

Meanwhile, Boxoffice Magazine, one of the icons of the motion picture business, has added a so-so expectation for “Super 8.” They call it “grade-A summer escapism” but have concerns that alien invasion flicks (i.e. Battle: Los Angeles and Skyline) have ranged from hit to dud.

They predict a $42,000,000 opening for “Super 8,” which ranks under “Thor’s “ $73 million, “Kung Fu Panda 2’s” $107,000,000, and “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides'” $110,000,000. “Hangover Part II” is expected to earn $92,000,000 and “The X Men First Class” has a projection of $70,000,000.

And, for those of you unable to piece together the message which Abrams’ dropped in the clips, FilmEdge.net, has cryptography interpreted: No certainty if a live may be after us We go underground. (ed. note: not a typo, Google it.) One of the clues refers to then President John F. Kennedy’s 1963 address on the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Considering all the meltdown fears from Japan and anxieties about reactors in the United States, “Super 8” could be a “China Syndrome” in disguise.

Here’s the official synopsis:

In the summer of 1979, a group of friends in a small Ohio town witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie and soon suspect that it was not an accident. Shortly after, unusual disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the local Deputy tries to uncover the truth – something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined.

Since this flick pays “homage” to Spielberg, I still ask, do any of the young kids (or all of them) stand as symbolic young Spielbergs?

Aside from “Super 8,” which opens June 10, moviegoers anticipate an assembly of summer blockbusters starting May 6 with the unveiling of the season’s first superhero, “Thor.” On June 3, “X Men First Class” opens followed on June 17 by “Green Lantern,” and the July 22 debut of “Captain America: The First Avenger.”

May Movies Blooming

Aside from “Super 8,” which opens June 10, moviegoers anticipate an assembly of summer blockbusters starting May 6 with the unveiling of the season’s first superhero, “Thor.” On June 3, “X Men First Class” opens followed on June 17 by “Green Lantern,” and the July 22 debut of “Captain America: The First Avenger.”

But May remains a tip toe through the reels type of introduction to warm months’ cinema. The pattern adheres to a so-called blockbuster paired with other releases that cross-program demographics, hoping to capture ticket sales from those not interested in the week’s #1 choice.

4 “Something Borrowed” (May 6)

Something Borrowed hints at the altar, but actually tosses a salad of complex love relationships which no amount of dressing can make palatable. Kate Hudson, John Krasinski and Ginnifer Goodwin star as talented attorneys. Goodwin has too much to drink and ends up in bed with Hudson’s fiance (Colin Egglesfield).

4 “Priest” (May 13)

Coupling the Old West and Vampires in a post-apocalyptic alternate world, Huntington’s own Brad Dourif (better known as the voice of Chucky and Billy Bibbit in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest) joins with Christopher Plummer, Maggie Q and Paul Bettany. Let’s hope this “western-fused” genre has a better reception than “The Spirit” or “Jonah Hex.

“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” (May 20)

Johnny Depp and Ian McShane (as Blackbeard) join Penelope Cruz on a voyage to the fountain of youth. Incidentally, McShane played Paul Griffen in the “We Are Marshall” flick.

“The Hangover Part II” (May 26)

After the warped and ragged bachelor party in Las Vegas, the friends travel to Thailand for Stu’s (Ed Helms) nuptials hoping for a safe, subdued pre-wedding brunch. Mayhem ensues.

“Kung Fu Panda 2″ (May 26)

The voices for this animated comedy include Angelina Jolie, Gary Oldman, Jackie Chan, Jack Black, Lucy Liu and Jean-Claude Van Damme. Here’s a brief scoop: Living as Dragon Warrior (Po, the panda) protects the Valley of Peace with masters of Kung Fu (Furious Five) but a villain plans to conquer China and destroy Kung Fu.