Do you enjoy the dumb movies of summer, such as Jurassic Park III? Or are you looking forward to September when all the latest Shakespeare adaptations will be back in the theaters?

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

Answers

Our kids aren't interested in the fall movies, so the summer time's when we usually go see movies. Actually, we've seen more this year than in quite some time -- Shrek, Knight's Tale, Jurassic ex Machina, probably a couple more non-memorable ones.

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

Four words: PLANET OF THE APES!


-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

Yeah, I'm psyched for "Planet of the Apes," too! And "Rush Hour 2" is coming out Aug. 3...

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

Oh, people... "Legally Blonde" is a major dumb film (specially since I'm taking the Bar right now), and "American Pie 2" is funny and has the luscious Allyson Hannigan...

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

I can't believe you wanted to see "The Fast and the Furious". I never did go see "Tomb Raider". I'd say go see "A.I" and just walk out in the middle of it, so you won't be disappointed.

I normally don't see "HBO" but the last night I did while out of town, and they had "inside" the "Planet of the Apes" or something or other special. It looks interesting.

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001

I've been binging on movies this summer, in great contrast to my normal one-a-month-at-most-and-that-includes-videos status--since June 15 I've seen 14 movies in theaters. Because half of those are ones I snuck into after paying for others, I've seen plenty of dumb summer movies I never would have seen otherwise--JPIII, Dr. Dolittle 2, and Cats and Dogs are among them. They've definitely been worth what I paid for them.

I just watched the original Planet of the Apes and then read the novel (which is good SF and I recommend it), so I am curious to see whether the remake destroys the plot, and if that big surprise ending might not simply be the ending of the novel (which is much different than that of the Charlton Heston movie).

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001

FINAL FANTASY is a fast, action-packed, fun summer movie! I was skeptical, not being a game-player--although in the last two weeks I've become kind of attached to playing QUAKE--but a friend who doesn't like anything recommended it. I'd almost go see it again, for the cool monsters.

I also saw GHOST WORLD, which I quite liked. It's a more quiet, kind-of downbeat movie, but it has its moments of comedy, both ruminative and more laugh-out-loud funny.

I want to see Jet Li's new one, KISS OF THE DRAGON.

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001

oh yeah, I've been meaning to ask Jen if she'd seen Ghost World, since she's a Dan Clowes fan. I've tried to see it twice, the last time at 10:30 Monday night... and it was sold out even then! Of course it has been about 100 and even 105 degrees heat index here in New York, and unbearably humid beyond the power of residential-strength air conditioning. The movies are the only escape. We ended up Monday night in BULLY (the only other movie starting then, although after the last Larry Clark movie I promised I wouldn't see another one again), and that was packed too.......

-- Anonymous, July 25, 2001

I'm usually semi-excited about summer movies, although I'm usually too poor to go see them, so I wait until they're out on video.

I'm shocked that Jurassic Park III is out already. I suppose I've been on the other side of the Atlantic for too long, but my jaw actually dropped when I read that you saw that, Jen. Man. Nevermind Planet of the Apes or American Pie 2.

-- Anonymous, July 25, 2001

I haven't seen "Ghost World," because it hasn't opened in SF yet--it's only playing in NYC, LA, Seattle, and I think one other city.

Oh, and I heard Kiss of the Dragon was bad, but haven't seen it myself. I'll probably go to American Pie 2 if it gets decent reviews. I also still want to see Legally Blonde. Of course, so far this year my track record for actually finding time to see first-run movies in the theaters is pretty bad, so I probably won't see any of these...

-- Anonymous, July 26, 2001