Paper Mache
What is it about summer movies or “blockbusters” as they are sometimes called? Turns out it’s been a thing for over 40 years. Way back in the day before universal a/c, escaping to the local movie theater and its industrial grade cooling system was a welcome respite from summer heat anywhere in the country.
This summer’s films are diverse and see the reprisal of some of the great film franchises. See dinosaurs once again roam the earth in “Jurassic World Dominion,” and now we’re talking about the whole Earth since their island of origin was destroyed. “Thor: Love and Thunder” has our favorite Norse god embarking on a quest for inner peace only to be interrupted by an inter-galactic killer. How about “Hustle” with funny man Adam Sandler about a down-on-his-luck basketball scout who signs an extraordinary player in Spain without his team’s approval? “Fire Island” is a rom com inspired by Jane Austen’s ”Pride and Prejudice” about a group of queer best friends who gather for their annual holiday week, but must deal with a sudden change that jeopardizes the fun. So many films, so little time.
What are the movies that inspire us to leave the comfort of home and pay the cost to see a film on the big screen? For me, “Top Gun: Maverick” tops the list. I don’t want to come off like a shill for Tom Cruise and company, but as a guy who spent the better part of 35 years flying the friendly skies, this movie will really set you back like no other. It was fascinating to read about the making of the film and the vomitinducing regimen the actor/pilots had to endure to prepare for some of the roller coaster flight scenes. This is the “method” that Stanislavski could never have imagined! It is a simple plot with a bit of relationship drama, but the real live, non-cg flight scenes are the star in this one and reminds us of the power of the big screen.
Join us tonight, June 17, as we screen local filmmaker Patricia Davis’s “The Making of Lyvia’s House” at Sutter Theater Center for the Arts in Yuba City about the feature length film she and her team have created this past year in Yuba-sutter. Tickets at yubasutterarts.org. Lots more film events coming your way.