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Summer of '97 not so hot for moviegoers
August 31, 1997
Web posted at: 11:30 p.m. EDT (0330 GMT)From Reviewer Carol Buckland
(CNN) -- The cinematic summer of '97 could have been worse. I won't detail how, though, because you never know when those original thinkers in Hollywood might be cruising the 'Net. I wouldn't want any of my bad movie nightmares to come back and haunt me in a couple of years.
The showbiz buzz going into the season was potential bloodbath. While some financial carnage did ensue (Business 101: Ballooning budgets tend to mean shrinking profits), the casualty count wasn't quite as dreadful as many expected.
Although the final figures aren't in yet, the summer of '97 looks to be a record-setter in terms of movie tickets sold. Even before the big Labor Day weekend, six flicks had cracked the $100 million mark in the United States. Four more were at the $90 million-plus level and climbing.
But making money ain't everything, gang, especially when it comes to the movies. Several of the summer offerings that raked in the cash were, IMHO, out-and-out crap. And some of the best silver-screen stuff probably cost less than the catering arrangements for, oh, let's say, "Batman & Robin."
The best of the bunch among the blockbusters was "Men in Black." It was hip. It was hot. And yeah, it was overhyped. But it was also something different, and I'll always pay top dollar for that.
Kudos to "Air Force One" for giving moviegoers a kick-ass commander-in-chief with genuine family values; to "My Best Friend's Wedding" for putting a very '90s spin on romance; and to John Woo's "Face/Off" for taking the action genre way, way over the top.
The list of good things coming in small cinematic packages was remarkably long this summer for those moviegoers who were willing to venture beyond the confines of their local mall weenie-plexes. Among the independent, art house and/or international flicks worth seeking out: "Brassed Off," "The Full Monty," "Career Girls," "Ponette," "Shall We Dance," "Mrs. Brown," "In the Company of Men" and "Ulee's Gold."
No surprises for women or men
The summer of '97 was not a particularly fulfilling season in terms of women's roles. Surprise -- not!
Still, Jodie Foster deserves a nod for her fine-tuned intensity in "Contact"; Julia Roberts gets major credit for her boy-is-she-bankable-again turn in "My Best Friend's Wedding"; and Demi Moore earns the ... well, I'm not exactly sure what the buff-bodded Mrs. Bruce Willis deserves. But after enduring "G.I. Jane," it's obvious the gal has a whole lot of guts.
Funny thing. I spend a great deal of time kvetching about how limited and/or lousy most female movie characters are. The creativity of three small summer movies -- "The Full Monty," "Shall We Dance," and "In the Company of Men" -- made me realize that silver-screen portrayals of masculine behavior have become pretty stereotypic, too.
"The Full Monty" (British) and "Shall We Dance" (Japanese) are wonderfully done human comedies. They also explore male vulnerabilities with a skill and sympathy seldom seen in Hollywood productions. "In the Company of Men" is far crueler fare; it dissects male anger and egoism with surgical skill. I strongly recommend all three. Figure on following "In the Company of Men" with a protracted gender debate, incidentally.
"Speed 2" was the biggest bust of the summer -- a flush-the- bucks-down-the-toilet disappointment from start to finish. While "Batman & Robin" will make major money thanks to overseas ticket sales, it was an eye-glazing exercise in wretched excess. Enough black rubber, already! The alleged comedy "Father's Day" wins the season's prize for squandering screen talent by teaming Billy Crystal and Robin Williams and giving them nothing to do.
Speaking of awards:
- The Absolutely Fabulous Performance Award: Rupert Everett in "My Best Friend's Wedding."
- The Most Interesting Post-Oscar Role Choices Award: Nicolas Cage, who did some innovative action work as the anti-hero/hero of "Con Air," then joined John Travolta for some twistedly terrific acting in "Face/Off." Honorable mention in this category goes to Mira Sorvino, who went the screaming-meemie route in "Mimic."
- The Comeback Kids Awards: The previously mentioned Julia Roberts for both "My Best Friend's Wedding" and "Conspiracy Theory" and Peter Fonda for "Ulee's Gold." Sylvester Stallone gets partial credit for gutting it out (in more ways than one) in "Cop Land."
- The Unexpected Hit Award: Disney's "George of the Jungle." Maybe it was the theme song. Maybe it was Brendan Fraser's fabulous physique. Whatever the explanation, audiences embraced this noncartoon-cartoon's goofy humor and offbeat outlook.
- The Creepiest Trend Award: Big screen bugs. If "Men in Black" and "Mimic" didn't offer you enough ughy-wuggy stuff, wait 'til "Starship Troopers."
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