It's A Summer Of Sequels
This is the season of big action films, bigger sequels, and just maybe one of Hollywood's biggest summertime gambles ever.
The reasons, says Newsweek film critic David Ansen, are both the cost of the sequels — "Spider-Man 3" is reportedly clocking in at more than $300 million — and the fact that so many big films are being released so close together.Photos: Summer Movies
"It has the potential to be one of the most successful summers that Hollywood has ever had, Ansen told CBS News correspondent Jerry Bowen. "And it has the potential to be one of the most disastrous. It's a big role of the dice. If one or two of these huge sequels fails, they're gonna be sweating bullets."
"Spider-Man 3" kicked off the summer season this weekend with soaring expectations after the first two superhero epics each grossed $800 million worldwide.
"It works," Ansen said. "I had a good time with 'Spider-Man.' But it's kind of all-over-the-place. The special effects are wonderful. The Sandman is terrific. You haven't seen anything quite like it."
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" is also rumored to cost $300 million. The last "Pirates" took in a swashbuckling $1 billion in global ticket sales and it was critically panned. So what of No. 3?
"I can only hope it's better than the second," Ansen said. "For me Johnny Depp is the attraction. He's absolutely delightful in the part. And everything else is kind of ho-hum as far as I'm concerned."
Matt Damon returns as amnesiac assassin Jason Bourne in "The Bourne Ultimatum."
"Live Free or Die Hard" is another trip down memory lane, with Bruce Willis back as tough cop John McClaine.
And George Clooney, Brad Pitt and the gang are back, even though the first sequel to "Ocean's 11" was a critical disaster.
"'Ocean's Thirteen,' I am actually kind of looking forward to, based on the first one," Ansen said. "I get the impression that they're trying to make amends for the second one."
There's a new film of that wizard-in-training, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." The first four films brought in $3.5 billion and the final book comes out a week after film No. 5 debuts. There is also a new "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer", based on Marvel's comic book characters.
"It's the sequel I'm least excited about," Ansen said. "I'm kind of surprised that they even bothered to make it."
"Transformers" is based on the children's toy, which is now a gigantic menace to world survival.
"Rescue Dawn" is based on the true story of a prisoner of war shot down over Laos.
"It's quite exciting," Ansen said. "It's an incredible sort of escape story. It's a very strong movie. I do recommend it."
Another film, "No End in Sight" is likely to provoke strong reaction. The Sundance Film Festival winner documents the poor planning leading up to the Iraq war and will no doubt add to the heated political debate.
What is not in debate is that summer films, for the most part, continue to be made much more for the money than for any artistic value they may possess. Most of the more serious fare — the films that whisper or scream "Oscar winner" — will not reach theaters until the fall.
There are some movies for grown-ups this summer. Julie Christie delivers a powerful, emotional performance as an Alzheimer's patient in "Away from Her."
"I wouldn't be surprised to see Christie get an Oscar nomination," Ansen said.
Angelina Jolie stars in "The Mighty Heart" as Marianne Pearl, wife of the Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl who was kidnapped and killed in Pakistan.
And stars abound in "Stardust," a fantasy with Robert de Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer and Clare Danes as a star come to Earth.
If you've an appetite for romance, there's Catherine Zeta Jones as an ambitious chef in "No Reservations."
And Don Cheadle is the real-life deejay Petey Greene in "Talk to Me."
And it would not be summer without an animated feature. There are quite a few of them.
"Shrek the Third" offers the lovable ogre as royalty.
"Ratatouille" finds a rat in a Parisian kitchen. The long-awaited "Simpsons" movie, at least among fans of the even-longer-running TV show, makes Homer Simpson more "Homeresque" than ever.
And to spice things up, "Paprika."
"This is a Japanese anime, which is quite extraordinary," Ansen said. "This is really animation for grown-ups."
The musical "Hairspray" goes from Broadway to the big screen with John Travolta in drag.
Adam Sandler and Kevin Kames don't play it straight in "I Now Pronounce you Chuck and Larry."
"Knocked Up," from the director of the popular "The 40 Year Old Virgin," follows a one-night stand that grows into something else.
And Steve Carell takes on the sequel to the hit "Bruce Almighty." At $175 million, "Evan Almighty" is rumored to be the most expensive comedy ever made. It involves an ark and lots of animals.
So bring a friend and march two by two toward your nearest theater. The summer of 2007 beckons and Hollywood wants you (and that price of admission) more than ever.
