Summer Blockbusters

This post might be a little premature, but I just wanted to weigh in on summer movies and see what you think. I'm not a huge movie buff, but I really like to see a good flick now and then. Too bad there are so few of them.

I was underwhelmed by Spiderman 3--I thought Peter Parker trying to be cool was rather lame. It definitely wasn't the best of the three Spiderman movies. Although I generally like superhero movies, I've been disappointed by some of the recent ones--except Batman Begins. I think it's my favorite superhero movie of all time.

I passed on Shrek the Third. I suppose I'll probably see it eventually on video, but I didn't like the first two much, so I wasn't about to pay to go see #3. I think the storylines are fun and I enjoy the plays on fairytales, but the potty humor does nothing for me. Neither does Mike Myers.

I think the next movie we'll pay to see in the theater is Pirates of the Carribbean: At World's End. Jeff just got the first two on Netflix so we could review the storylines and not be lost in the new one. Yes, they are all over the top and heavy on the special effects, but they are fun. How can you not like a good pirate story? And Johnny Depp amazes me. He is so versatile and skilled as an actor. I've liked him since Benny and Joon.

Others that I'm looking forward to and will possibly pay to see in the theater are Ratatouille, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and Bourne Ultimatum. Oceans Thirteen, Fantastic Four, and Evan Almighty might also be possibilities, but I think we'll save them for Netflix nights. I know my older boys will want to see Transformers, but the trailer for it looked a bit violent for their ages (6 and 8). When they want to see PG and PG-13 shows like that, I don't forbid it but tell them they have to wait until they are older. All we need around here is more fighting to imitate and more nightmares.

What's your take? I'm always open to recommendations for good movies, but I'm pretty picky--I want good and clean, AND intelligent, thoughtful, or fun. Action and suspense are okay, but if it's dumb, crude, gory, scary, or full of gratuitous sex or violence, I'll pass.

On a side note, we just recently watched Walk the Line. I didn't grow up listening to Johnny Cash songs like Jeff did, but it was an interesting if depressing story. He wasted so much time and talent while he was hooked on amphetamines. Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon also amazed me with their acting skills in this show.