As we move in to Memorial Day weekend, this is typically the start of the summer movie season. But because there was no guarantee that people would even be able to go back in to theaters in any significant way, the number of films being released is not as robust as seasons in the past. However, with half of the country vaccinated and theaters being allowed to have them opened at full capacity, there is a good chance this could be a summer to remember.
And as for the movies? Well, there are a number of major films that were delayed from last year like the musical, "In The Heights", the never-ending franchise sequel, "Fast & Furious 9", one for the kids, "Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway" and the latest Marvel super-hero adventure, "Black Widow". The rest seem to be a mix of indie films, movies from streaming services that will get a brief, token release in theaters and lower profile features meant to be seen in cinemas the previous year that will get a theatrical premiere before heading to VOD. Overall, there seems to be very little to get really excited over. But I'm sure, like every summer, there will be a few movies that will create an unexpected buzz at the box-office.
Vulture has been kind to put together a list of the movies that will be heading to theaters this summer so you can see what to expect throughout this hot weather season.
Throughout her career and despite her many achievements, Cher has not always been taken very seriously. One probable reason is her style; wild, gaudy and over-the-top fashions that some would consider tasteless and too provocative. But it is her being an outspoken, no-nonsense woman who has lived her life by her own rules and values that just might be too much for some people to handle. And while she may not have always gotten the respect she deserves, Cher has remained incredibly beloved and admired by a great number of fans because of her uncompromising nature.
Now the one and only, Cher has just turned seventy-five on May 20th. With a fearless spirit and unrelenting determination, she has endured largely by avoiding to follow trends, only going by what inspires her and never being overly concerned about what people might think about her choices.
As the story goes, an eighteen year old, Cherilyn Sarkisian met Salvatore "Sonny" Bono, an older, struggling musician and producer. He saw the potential in this shy, young girl, guiding her as a solo artist and later forming a pop music act together as a duo. It took some time but they finally hit, having several charting songs as a couple and just Cher. When the music success cooled, Sonny & Cher headed to Las Vegas which lead to them moving to television and becoming even bigger stars. And when their marriage ended, so did the variety show.
Now on her own, Cher had to start over. She went back to music with mixed results before deciding to earnestly pursue acting. It was rough going before two major directors took a chance on her; Robert Altman cast Cher in the stage play, "Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean" (and later the film adaptation) and then Mike Nichols (who saw her in the play) put her in a supporting role in his drama, "Silkwood" which starred Meryl Streep. And not long after that came the romantic-comedy, "Moonstruck" which gave her some real cred as an actress and an Oscar.
And to celebrate the acting career of this legendary diva, Vulture has decided to look back on all of the movie performances by Cher and rank them from her least successful to her very best work. Unfortunately, she hasn't done many films but what Cher has contributed to cinema are moments that have been truly magical.
"A Little Romance" doesn't seem like a likely choice for George Roy Hill to direct. A master craftsman who never relied on bold, stylish embellishment in his storytelling, Hill might be best remembered for his two celebrated features, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and "The Sting" but he was also behind several interesting films that were not fully appreciated at the time of their release, like "The World of Henry Orient", "Slaughterhouse-Five", "Slap Shot" and "The World According to Garp" that have since gone on to be considered classics. And although this modest yet sweet romantic-comedy involving two mature teenagers falling in love might not have aged as well, the film still manages to deliver appealing moments that are wistful and lovely.
Lauren (Diane Lane in her first screen appearance) is a precocious thirteen year old American living in Paris with her frivolous mother (Sally Kellerman) and her latest husband, a banker (Arthur Hill). While on the set of her mother's newest infatuation, an obnoxious film director (David Dukes), Lauren meets Daniel (Thelonious Bernard in his only film role), a young French boy obsessed with Hollywood movies, who snuck on to the movie shoot. And just like in the movies, the two teens quickly fall for each other.
One day, Lauren and Daniel literally bump in to Julius Santorin (a hammy Laurence Olivier), an elderly, aristocratic gentleman. He befriends them, sharing many fantastical stories including one where if lovers kiss in a Venetian gondola beneath the Bridge of Sighs at sunset while the church bells toll, they will be forever in love. And after a disastrous meeting with Lauren's mother at a party, with her forbidding her daughter to ever see Daniel again, and announcing plans to return back to America, the young lovebirds set off to Venice with the help of Julius.
Hill does capture the wonderous feeling of first love, the magical excitement of cinema and takes full advantage of highlighting the charm and beauty of two of the most romantic cities in Europe. But the real question remains; who is this movie for? "A Little Romance" is a little too stuffy and cultured for children to enjoy while adults won't really find much to connect with in this featherweight romance.
Marley Marl (Kevin Phillips), who is a record producer, is working on a song with Roxanne that was inspired by the rap group, U.T.F.O's hit single, "Roxanne, Roxanne". They came up with a response track called, "Roxanne's Revenge" that becomes an immediate sensation and made the young teenager a star. And as Roxanne achieves some level of success as a musician, she is surrounded by men who cheat and exploit her including Cross (Mahershala Ali), a drug dealer who becomes her lover, father of her child and emotional tormenter.
With his second feature film, writer/director, Michael Larnell shows great promise as a filmmaker, creating a sharply observed, character-driven drama of a teen emerging from poverty and abuse to fortuitously become a musician. But the music takes a backseat to the hardships and challenges in Shante's life. We do get to witness the strength, fierce determination, survival skills and (briefly) rapping talent of this young woman yet by the conclusion, it feels like the film was far more interested in Shante's harrowing journey of victimization than her contributions to hip-hop.
"Girlfriends" (1978)
"Girlfriends" was one of several feature films in the 1970's that focused on women chafing against the traditional roles expected of them, with a determined desire to forge their own path in the world that may not necessarily include being a wife or mother. But what made this movie stand out is that it was actually written and directed by a woman, Claudia Weill who made her narrative feature debut with this captivating comedic drama.
Melanie Mayron (who would later go on to greater acclaim appearing on the groundbreaking television drama, "thirtysomething") plays Susan Weinblatt, an aspiring photographer who wants to see her work displayed in galleries. But at the moment, she supports herself by shooting pictures for weddings and bar mitzvahs. And while her best friend and roommate, Anne (Anita Skinner) is trying to become a writer, she suddenly decides to marry her boyfriend (Bob Balaban), leaving her career aspirations and Susan behind. Trying to be happy for her yet disappointed with the decision, Susan goes on with her plans alone. As she struggles to sell her photos, Susan has a flirtation with a married Rabbi (Eli Wallach) and later gets a boyfriend (Christopher Guest). And as Anne (who has had a child) watches Susan make things happen with her life, she becomes envious of her friend's independence.
Weill began "Girlfriends" as a short in 1975, later getting some funding from the National Endowment for the Arts to expand it in to a feature. But she ran out of money and Weil had to find additional investors, making it take three years to finally complete the film. Warm, funny and engaging, Weill pointedly examines modern women and the complicated struggles in their lives, careers, relationships with men and other women that feels emotionally authentic.
Warners Bros. would distribute this low-budget indie, making the filmmaker an intriguing new talent. Her next effort was 1980's "It's My Turn", a romantic-comedy starring Jill Clayburgh and Michael Douglas, that was a critical and box-office disappointment, effectively bringing an end to her promising feature film career. Weill did find plenty of work later directing for television but it is shameful that Hollywood refused to give her another opportunity like they had given to numerous men that failed commercially after having a lauded film.
Olympia Dukakis, the gifted performer of stage and screen who won an Academy Award for her brilliant turn in the romantic-comedy, "Moonstruck", has passed away on May 1st at the age of eighty-nine. No official cause of death has been released but she had been seriously ill over the last few months.
The actress began her career on the stage, appearing as an understudy in the play, "The Aspern Papers" in 1962 before moving on to a featured role in the Off-Broadway play, "Man Equals Man", which she would win an Obie Award in 1963. During this time, Dukakis would make very small, often uncredited, appearances in feature films. She would gain more significant parts over time in movies, notably in "John and Mary" (1969), "Made for Each Other" (1971), "The Wanderers" (1979) and "The Idolmaker" (1980). Then she was cast in the film that would completely change her career.
As Rose Castorini, the steely yet loving matriarch of an Italian-American family in "Moonstruck" (directed by Norman Jewison and written by John Patrick Shanley), she made a major impression. Dukakis' charming performance was critically praised in this 1987 box-office hit and she would go on to win many awards including a Golden Globe and the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
This would lead her to star in the films, "Mr. Holland's Opus", "Dad", "Mighty Aphrodite", "The Cemetery Club", the three "Look Who's Talking" movies and a part of the impressive ensemble in the beloved 1989 comedy, "Steel Magnolias" which also featured Julia Roberts, Daryl Hannah, Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine and Dolly Parton.
On television, Dukakis made guest appearances on the series, "Frasier, "Law & Order: SVU", "Touched by an Angel" and the mini-series, "Sinatra" and "Joan of Arc". But she is probably best remembered for her work in the adaption of Armistead Maupin's "Tales of the City" where she played Anna Madrigal and would appear in the sequels, "More Tales of The City" in 1998, "Further Tales of The City" in 2001 and 2019's "Tales of The City" for Netflix.
A documentary by Harry Mavromichalis, "Olympia", about Dukakis' life and career, was made in 2018 but was released theatrically just last year. She married fellow actor, Louis Zorich in 1962 and they were together until his death at ninety-three in 2018. They had three children together. And she was the first cousin of Michael Dukakis, a former Democratic candidate for President back in 1988.
