[Ed. note: Each week I'll be breaking down the big summer blockbuster movie releases. If you're curious about what's coming out in future weeks, be sure to check out the Summer Movie Preview. For more info on this week's releases, please check out CL contributor Kevin Hopp's full-length review of Year One or visit our movie site for all things film-related.]
FRIDAY, JUNE 19TH
Box office gold: Year One
Worth seeing? Harold Ramis directed three of the funniest movies ever made (Caddyshack, National Lampoon’s Vacation and Groundhog Day), but since 2002 his output has been limited to the John Cusack sleeper The Ice Harvest and some episodes of The Office. Can he recapture the magic? Year One stars Jack Black and Michael Cera as primitive outcasts who go on a biblical-era road trip after a falling out with their tribe-mates has them cast out of their village and wandering the desert. Seems like a bunch of hooey to me, but there’s no denying the people involved are (or used to be) funny.
Counter-programming: Not into stupid comedies about modern man’s dopiest ancestors? Try a romantic comedy instead. The Proposal stars Sandra Bullock as a cast-iron-bitch businesswoman and Ryan Reynolds as her henpecked assistant. When Bullock’s immigration status comes into question, she decides to marry Reynolds to stay in the country. One minor inconvenience: The pair hate each other. The latest from director Anne Fletcher (27 Dresses), The Proposal should benefit from Bullock’s natural charm and extensive rom-com experience.
Trailers after the jump …
This article appears in Jun 17-23, 2009.