As we leave behind the winter doldrums, pre-summer movies are making their way to the surface. During the coldest season of the year, the studios typically release films they have little in the way of expectation. The lightweights are called out early when hardly anyone's in the seats during the bleakest parts of the season. I'm not saying the films that come out right after the New Year's holiday are poor quality (some are far from it). But, I doubt the movie execs care much about the films since they flung them out so early in the year. So, as the spring begins to thaw the country out, those films with higher hopes hit the theaters to wet the appetites of the public for the box office bruisers to come during the annual summer movie season. This is why April is loaded with those the studios deem more worthy at generating ticket sales: Clash of the Titans, Date Night, Kick Ass, Death at a Funeral, and a movie I'll cite below. By this time, we're not suppose to realize the summer now begins with the start of May, for christssakes. It's all too predictable (although, that won't stop my son and I from getting into line for Iron Man 2).What's also unsurprising are the movies, or pairs of very similar movies, that show up from time-to-time. Competing studios will come up with a corresponding idea, or the concept of one, that they think will be HOT. They'll plan and rush to produce them in time to put them out on the schedule before the other guy. Usually, they'll appear within almost a year of each other in hopes their film will be the one that sticks with the audience (or at least their wallets). April 2010 is no different and will have the first of these:
Which, as you can see, seems entirely in response to this film that'll come out during the summer:
Who knows how this year's duel will turn out. Both are expected to be pure escapist fare, but The Losers does come off as A-Team lite since the latter is better known because of its Stephen J. Cannell TV pedigree. We shall see. However, I do know which ones I picked in the past regarding such concept film face-offs (along with my favorite reviews for those choices):
No, I'm Wyatt Earp: Tombstone (1993) vs. Wyatt Earp (1994) - This one is no contest. Tombstone is one of my all-time favorite westerns. Kasdan's Wyatt Earp may be the most true biopic-like of the two, but it forgot how to be enjoyable. George Cosmatos knew how to direct a western, but Kasdan's attempts at the genre (the other being Silverado) simply don't cut it, IMO. Plus as a pair, Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer were head and shoulders over the dour Kevin Costner and Dennis Quaid for the leads (you actually liked Kurt and Val). Highlight review by film blogger Livius.
Killer Asteroids Come A Kallin': Armageddon (1998) vs. Deep Impact (1998) - Yes, I'll admit both films are soppy disaster flicks. But, at least Deep Impact makes attempts at being a bit more cerebral and not so over-the-top (plus it has the great Morgan Freeman as the U.S. President). Michael Bay's film is... a Michael Bay film. How Armageddon ever got a Criterion Collection DVD release still baffles the hell out of me (plus, it's not my preferred role for Die Hard-favorite Bruce Willis). Highlight review by the Great White Snark.
It's Truman Capote: Capote (2005) vs. Infamous (2006) - This one I can't pick between these. Capote came out first, and I thought Hoffman's portrayal is one of the greats (the large man Phillip making you forget he is that as he evokes the diminutive Truman really was something to behold). But, the I prefer Infamous' storyline better (along with its supporting cast). Highlight review by blogger Snooker in Berlin.
The 80's Overnight: Into the Night (1985) vs. After Hours (1985) - Both films seem to rejoice in each of their city locales and auras (L.A. vs. New York), but I thought director John Landis realized the concept better in his nocturnal adventure (and with a richer cast) than Martin Scorsese did with his overnight-mare for that particular decade. Full disclosure, Into the Night is one of my dearest 'L.A.' films (so, I'm biased). Highlight review by film blogger Mr. Peel.
Get Out of the Garden: A Bug's Life (1998) vs. Antz (1998) - As much as Dreamworks as tried to mount a charge against whatever Pixar Animation has put out, to me it failed the most miserably when they put out Antz in response to A Bug's Life. You can't pay me enough to watch this again with my kids. God, I hate this movie. While A Bug's Life is probably my lowest appraised Pixar film, it miles ahead of this early Dreamworks animation entry. Highlight review by famed L.A. Times movie critic Kenneth Turan.
French Vanity Campaigns: Dangerous Liaisons (1988) vs. Valmont (1989) - I may be in the minority regarding this one (I know a few female colleagues who've expressed their undying devotion to Mr. Firth), but I prefer Stephen Frears take of the French novel (Les Liaisons Dangereuses) and stage play rather than Milos Forman's. I guess I like the leads better (Close, Malkovich, and Pfeiffer vs. Bening, Firth, and Tilly). As well, Glenn Close's final close-up in Dangerous Liaisons gets me every time. Highlight review by Hal Hinson (Washington Post).
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