This summer, while the rest of you were off enjoying your “youthful indiscretions,” we here at the A&E desk did the responsible thing: remained pale as we watched television and movies indoors. Here’s what we found interesting enough not to go outside for.
Apatow Attack
The success of this summer’s “Knocked Up” and “Superbad” have cemented Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen as the leaders of the comedic pack.
“Knocked Up,” directed by Judd Apatow and starring Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl, had a stellar opening weekend of $30 million and has grossed $147 million to date, making it the 11th most successful movie this year – no easy feat for an R-rated comedy.
“Superbad” looks to top “Knocked Up,” as it opened with $33 million. The film stars Jonah Hill and Michael Cera, written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, and produced by Apatow. Theaters are still packed in the second week of the film’s release, and the Apatow comedy train doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
The films’ wide appeal, due to the combination of raunchy humor and a surprising amount of heart, has led Hollywood to question whether or not A-list stars are needed to make films successful.
Pottermania
Fans young and old of the world’s most famous boy wizard were treated to a few weeks of magic when the fifth Harry Potter film, “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” was released on July 11, just 10 days before the July 21 release of the epic series’ final book, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”
“Order of the Phoenix,” from director David Yates, was hailed by many critics as the best installment so far. The film has made over $873 million worldwide thus far, making it 13th on the list of all-time top earners.
“Deathly Hallows” was released globally in 93 countries and is the fastest-selling book ever, selling more than 11 million copies in the first 24 hours following its release. Author J.K. Rowling has no current plans to continue the series, although she has stated in interviews that an encyclopedia of all things Potter might be a possibility.
High School Musical 2
Disney Channel and the East High Wildcats scored again with “High School Musical 2,” the highly anticipated sequel to the TV movie phenomenon “High School Musical.”
The original film was a sugary teen dream of a jock (Zac Efron) and an honor student (Vanessa Hudgins) who break out of their cliques to sing together in a musical. The soundtrack was the best selling album of 2006 and the film was Disney Channel’s most successful movie with 7.7 million viewers in its premiere broadcast.
Obviously, a sequel was rapidly pushed into production. “High School Musical 2” aired on Disney Channel August 17 and, with 17.2 million viewers nationwide, was the most watched basic cable event in history.
Negotiations for a third installment to be released in theaters are still underway.
Girls Gone Wild
The celebutantes of America have done us all proud this summer.
Paris Hilton served 22 days of her 45-day jail sentence due to several violations of her probation after a DUI arrest.
The other half of “The Simple Life,” Nicole Richie, after being arrested in December for driving under the influence, was sentenced in July to spend four days in jail. Her sentence must be completed by September. A few days after being handed the sentence, Richie announced in an interview with Diane Sawyer that she is four months pregnant with Good Charlotte lead singer Joel Madden’s child.
Completing the trifecta, Lindsay Lohan was arrested twice this summer, once on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of alcohol and again on felony charges of possession of cocaine and transportation of a narcotic in addition to misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license. Shortly thereafter, Lohan checked into a Utah rehab center for the third time this year.
Wow, three for three. If this summer is any indication of how the rest of 2007 will play out, it’s probably safe to call Vegas now and bet on at least another two returns to rehab, crack addictions or another marriage to an untalented semi-celebrity.
In Memoriam
Film critic Joel Siegel died of colon cancer on June 29, shortly before what would have been his 64th birthday. Siegel was known for his sense of humor, having worked as a joke writer for Robert F. Kennedy. Siegel often peppered his film reviews with witty puns.
After losing his second wife to brain cancer, Siegel worked with actor Gene Wilder in 1991 to start Gilda’s Club (named for Wilder’s wife, “Saturday Night Live” cast member Gilda Radner, who died of ovarian cancer in 1989), a nonprofit organization that provides support for cancer patients and their families.
Legendary foreign directors Michelangelo Antonioni and Ingmar Bergman both died on July 30.
Antonioni, known mostly for his controversial and provocative counterculture films like “Blowup” and existential works like “L’ Avventura” was arguably one of the most influential and innovative directors of the 1960s.
Famous for producing movies like “Winter Light” and “The Silence” which thrived on sensual themes and a constant questioning of mortality, loneliness and faith, Bergman is now considered to be one of the most important directors of all time.
Now with one of the last true characters of film criticism and two of cinema’s greatest minds gone, we can only hope that their work will continue to do what its always done: speak for itself.
