Return of the Summer Blockbusters

I'd like to share my love of "franchise films" and "summer blockbusters," despite the fact that many moviegoers claim to despise them. Franchise films are movies adapted from existing franchises. In other words, stories featuring characters and situations depicted in previous movies or TV series. Franchise films include several categories, provided as follows, with examples of movies opening in May 2009.

Sequels:

--Angels & Demons (15 May 2009, PG-13, 140 min.)*

www.angelsanddemons.com

--Terminator Salvation (21 May 2009, PG-13, runtime unknown)

http://terminatorsalvation.warnerbros.co...

http://www.sonypictures.net/movies/termi...

--Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (22 May 2009, PG, 108 min.)

www.nightatthemuseummovie.com

*Angels & Demons, the novel, was published in 2000, and the story took place before the events of the novel The Da Vinci Code, published in 2003; however, the 2009 movie version of Angels & Demons has been written as a sequel to follow after events in the 2006 movie version of The Da Vinci Code.

Prequels:

--X-Men Origins: Wolverine (1 May 2009, PG-13, 107 min.)

www.x-menorigins.com

Remakes/Reboots:

--Star Trek (7 May 2009, PG-13, 126 min.)*

www.startrekmovie.com

*The newest Star Trek movie is more of a "reboot" than a remake. A relatively new term in the movie industry, "reboot" is when an existing franchise, in this case, the popular Star Trek saga which has existed in various forms since the original TV series premiered in 1966, is "re-invented" or "re-imagined" by a new set of filmmakers.

On a related albeit side note, I'm not sure why movies released in May are considered "summer blockbusters" when summer doesn't officially begin until the summer solstice, this year on Sunday, June 21. By the earliest standard of seasonal measurement, the summer vacation/tourist season begins on Memorial Day weekend, and Memorial Day is observed the last Monday in May, this year on a relatively early May 25. Beginning with releases in early May, however, the entertainment industry refers to movies expected to do big box office (earn much money), as potential "summer blockbusters."

There are all kinds of movie fans. Some enjoy only blockbusters, such as big-budget action adventures and over-the-top comedies, and they don't attend thought-provoking dramas, foreign films, documentaries, or "indie" (independent) films. Others enjoy only dramas, indie films, and more adult fare, and they speak disapprovingly of blockbusters.

In a limited sense, the indie films are the "art" in A&E and the blockbusters are the "entertainment." To me, however, most movies are both artistic and entertaining. I love them all. (Well, maybe I don't love "all" movies, but I do enjoy most of them.)

Just as I relish attending live theatre, I cherish the movie-going experience. Even if I attend a play or a movie I didn't much care for, I feel my money wasn't wasted because I enjoy being in the theatre experiencing the play or in the cinema experiencing the movie.

While I appreciate indie films, and while I wish more of them would show in and near the Iowa Great Lakes, it's hard to match the enthusiasm I feel as I anticipate the release of some blockbusters, especially new releases in my favorite franchises.

As the old saying goes, "Taste is subjective." Much of what excites me is, therefore, a matter of personal taste. But I think there are other reasons for my love of blockbusters.

One is related to my watching almost no series television. I'm so busy, and I'm home so rarely in the evening, that I'm not able to keep up with prime-time series TV. It's easier to keep up with franchise films, even those that go on for decades. For example, Ian Fleming's James Bond 007 series began with Dr. No (1962) and it's still in production, most recently with Quantum of Solace (2008). Another example is Gene Roddenberry's visionary Star Trek series that begin on TV with "Star Trek" (1966-1969) and on the big screen with Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), and which continues with the "reboot" Star Trek (2009) released nationwide in just one week, on May 7.

Another reason is related to my youth. Born in 1964, I'm currently 45. As with so many people, I was a lot happier, a lot more carefree in my youth. Is it surprising, then, that of all the fantastic movies released last year, I was most eager for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)? Of the dozens of movies I've been looking forward to this year, is it any wonder I'm most eager for Star Trek (2009)? These are the newest entries in movie franchises from my youth.

One of the interesting things about blogging is that there's no word limit for submissions. Still, I don't want to write a novel for my first-ever blog. Besides, I need to finish this up so I can go attend the special midnight premiere showing of this year's first potential summer blockbuster, X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009).

In closing, I'll share a list of franchise films being released in the coming month, complete with the source material each of them draws upon. The list below doesn't include print materials, the novels and comic books on which some of these movies are based, and it doesn't include animated TV series. It does, however, include movies (in italics) and live-action TV series (in "quotes") that have preceded these new releases.

Here are potential summer blockbusters being released in May 2009....

1) X-Men Origins: Wolverine (1 May 2009, PG-13, 107 min.)

X-Men (14 July 2000, PG-13, 104 min.)

X2 (2 May 2003, PG-13, 133 min.)

X-Men: The Last Stand (26 May 2006, PG-13, 104 min.)

2) Star Trek (7 May 2009, PG-13, 126 min.)

"Star Trek" (8 September 1966 - 3 June 1969, 79 episodes)

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (7 December 1979, PG, 132 min.)

Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (4 June 1982, PG, 113 min.)

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1 June 1984, PG, 105 min.)

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (26 November 1986, PG, 119 min.)

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" (27/9/1987 - 21/5/1994, 176 episodes)

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (9 June 1989, PG, 107 min.)

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (6 December 1991, PG, 113 min.)

"Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (4 January 1993 - 2 June 1999, 173 episodes)

Star Trek: Generations (18 November 1994, PG, 118 min.)

"Star Trek: Voyager" (16 January 1995 - 23 May 2001, 170 episodes)

Star Trek: First Contact (22 November 1996, PG-13, 111 min.)

Star Trek the Experience: The Klingon Encounter (4 January 1998, 4 min.)

Star Trek: Insurrection (11 December 1998, PG, 103 min.)

"Star Trek: Enterprise" (26 September 2001 - 13 May 2005, 98 episodes)

Star Trek: Nemesis (13 December 2002, PG-13, 116 min.)

3) Angels & Demons (15 May 2009, PG-13, 140 min.)

The Da Vinci Code (19 May 2006, PG-13, 149 min.)

4) Terminator Salvation (21 May 2009, PG-13, runtime unknown)

The Terminator (26 October 1984, R, 107 min.)

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (3 July 1991, R, 137 min.)

T2 3-D: Battle Across Time (1996, PG-13, 12 min.)

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2 July 2003, R, 109 min.)

"Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" (13/1/2008-10/5/2009, 31 episodes)

5) Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (22 May 2009, PG, 108 min.)

Night at the Museum (22 December 2006, PG, 108 min.)