Pop Culture preview ‘second half’ 2003: LOTR Return of the King, Matrix Revolutions, Madden Football
July 1st, my birthday, marks a halfway point in the year where I begin to earmark certain dates ahead. “The Matrix: Revolutions” (Nov. 5) and “LOTR: Return of the King” (Dec. 17) were long ago reserved in ink. There are new additions: Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” (Oct. 10) and “The Alamo” (Dec. 25) which promises to portray the slave trading and politics that were omitted from the John Wayne westerns.
There’s Disney’s pathetic attempts to rejuvenate interest into their stagnant rides – “Pirates of the Caribbean” and now “The Haunted Mansion” with Eddie Murphy (Nov. 26) – movies I support financially. I don’t want to see these rides get pulled like 20,000 Leagues. Suffering through “The Country Bears” with the 4-year-old is small price to pay to keep nostalgia alive. Oops, sorry Terence, I know I said the “N-word” – I meant, “to keep my memories alive.”
This summer my kids will experience a movie in 3-D (“Spy Kids 3-D”), and I get more pie in “American Wedding” (Aug. 1). “The Cat in the Hat” (Nov. 21) is a little different, even from “The Grinch”, because the kids have enjoyed Seuss enduring my various voices during our reading sessions. With that said, expect us to nickname the boys “Thing 1 & 2” after the viewing.
The 25th anniversary DVD of “Halloween” hits stores on August 5th with a second disc of features and a crappy “H25” logo and the long-anticipated release of “Duel” hits the shelf a week later. Amongst several TV series hitting the DVD market (including “Smallville”) “Indiana Jones” sneaks into stores November 4th. By sneaks, I mean stampedes with a huge promotional campaign and a fourth disc of extras.
Networks will waste more airtime on reality shows, I’m eyeing two new twists amongst the “Reality Show Curse” as Boy Meets Boy” will feature a gay 32-year-old law firm employee sorting through straight men as well as other homosexuals and the new “Big Brother’ (season four, I think) offers to add ex-lovers to the house to stir up trouble. They are becoming bigger and bigger freak-shows with the added “Springer effect.”
October 20 marks the release of “The Complete Far Side”, a two-volume hardback collection of all of Gary Larson’s acclaimed cartoons. (approx. 4,000) There is a forward by comedian Steve Martin and copies of complaint, fan and inquisitive letters to accompany certain panels.
Jane’s Addiction releases their new album “Hypersonic” on July 22 – their first since 1990’s “Ritual de lo Habitual.” Perry Farrell, Dave Navarro, and Stephen Perkins return with bassist Chris Chaney. If their first single, “Just Because” is any indication – this is vintage Jane. They return to Lollapalooza for a tour this summer.
Mid-July marks the beginning of football season. Oh no, I’m not talking NCAA or the NFL – Ea Sports releases College Football, NCAA 2004! Yep, men about the globe will work to replenish that ass imprint that has vanished from their favorite chair. Fantasy Football, Madden football, pre-season – it all begins with Ea Sports.
Another Saints & Sinners Film Festival, the filming of “The Punisher”, Halloween…so much more.
We’re halfway through another year and there’s always more exciting things that fail to live up to our expectations. I can only touch on a few. Hopefully we will all find satisfaction with the end of “The Matrix” trilogy – unless another Wachowski divorce forces subsequent tales ten years from now. It’s been fun so far, but as my kids keep reminding me: “When does Santa come?” In only a few short months.
Originally posted while writing for CrazedFanboy.com
