Cruel summer

Would-be blockbusters keep getting worse

Summer sucks. It’s as if the studios transform into Black Friday retailers. A minefield of tentpole release dates between May and July are staked out—often before a single word of script is written—for a slew of over-budgeted, narratively overstuffed sequels, reboots, and synergized comic franchises meant to appeal to increasingly disinterested crowds.

It’s been that way for a while, but the summer of 2016 seems like a case study in how not to studio. If Spielberg and Lucas are to be believed, the foundation is buckling—mainly because of insane production budgets, and marketing costs that often double a film’s price tag. Bad marketing, media oversaturation, lame ideas and crippling word of mouth on opening weekend also influence failure. They can sink a film’s chances in the first two days. It used to take a week to register a 60 or 70 percent drop off at the box office. Now that can happen between Friday and Sunday. So if you spent $250 million on another goddamn superhero movie, it had better please (see: “Captain America: Civil War”).

Paramount’s “Star Trek Beyond” (July) was a blast of a movie. And while it seems like every cent of its $185 million budget is up there on the screen, spending that much money for a “Star Trek” film is absurd. It would have been just as much fun if they’d shaved $85 million off the sticker price. Instead, what could have been a healthy return was cannibalized by budgetary overreach.

This sort of hubris is compromising Warner Bros. in their efforts to be Marvel with lamer characters. In the DC Expanded Universe, “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice” (March) and “Suicide Squad”  (August) embody almost everything wrong with the direction of their properties. At $250 million, the money spent on “BvS” seems an ostentatious metaphor to the film itself—a bloated, dour, by-the-numbers potluck—the trailer for which gave away everything you needed to know in a desperate effort to make people care. The critic and fan reaction to “BvS,” not to mention a severe first-weekend drop off, influenced the entirely unhelpful (and expensive) panic reshoots for “Suicide Squad.”

But at least DC is failing at something arguably relevant. In the realm of clearly bad ideas, Fox decided to milk the emerald anniversary of Roland Emmerich’s B-movie blockbuster, “Independence Day,” with a mega-budget sequel absent the one element from the first film that everyone agreed was worth giving a shit about: Will Smith. Considering the blandness 165 million burnt dollars bought (though the FX weren’t bad) you’d think they would have been able to convince the Fresh Prince to suit up. But, maybe he read the script. 

While deservedly tanking here, it seems the foreign grosses are keeping anyone responsible for “Independence Day: Resurgence” from jumping off a building. 

There were others: “Ghostbusters,” “Alice Through the Looking Glass,” “Ben-Hur,” and “The Huntsman: Winter’s War” all lost millions. “The BFG,” a lovely film riding on Spielberg’s cred, fell victim to lackluster marketing and a title that impacted no one. “Warcraft” (a film that bombed in the U.S. but was saved by the Chinese market) inexplicably went for an all-out walk on thin ice: relying on an unproven theatrical audience based on the popularity of the game and a cult indie director taking on his first mega-bucks fantasy film. 

2016 feels like a turning point. The foundation of summer blockbusters is crumbling, and Hollywood has no one to blame but itself. We’ll see what happens next year.

Full Circle

A brief rundown of what’s happening at the Circle Cinema

“Don't Think Twice”
Comedian Mike Birbiglia (“Sleepwalk With Me”) writes, directs and stars as the leader of a longtime New York improv troupe called The Commune. When Jack (Keegan-Michael Key) lands a gig at an SNL-esque show, his burgeoning success calls into question the future of his comrades, friendship, and their motivation to keep the band together. Also starring Gillian Jacobs, Kate Micucci, Chris Gethard, and Tami Sagher, the mumblecore roots of “Don’t Think Twice” are cemented by its naturalistic performances, and a quasi-documentary window into the lives and loves of its charming misfits. Produced by Ira Glass of “This American Life.” Now playing.

Read Joe's full review of “Don’t Think Twice” here.

OPENING SEPTEMBER 9

“Complete Unknown”
A man contemplates moving so that his wife can pursue graduate studies. He runs into an old flame at a dinner party, a woman who often changes her identity. Starring Rachel Weisz and Michael Shannon. Rated R.

“2016 Sundance Film Festival Shorts”
This 95-minute theatrical program includes eight short films screened at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. The collection will include shorts from the festival’s fiction, documentary, international, and animation selections. Not Rated.

SHOWING SEPTEMBER 9/10

“Christine” (1983) 
Late-night (10pm) screenings of the early 80s Stephen King thriller, directed by genre master John Carpenter, about a 1958 Plymouth Fury with supernatural powers. After being defaced, the car restores itself and goes on a murderous revenge rampage.

SHOWING SEPTEMBER 12

“Little Gandhi”
This special documentary presentation is about the modern day Syrian peace activist Ghiyath Matar. An icon of peaceful resistance for the Syrian revolution, he was arrested and tortured for four days by the Syrian government, before being killed. His death led to violent uprisings.

OPENING SEPTEMBER 15

“The Beatles: Eight Days a Week”
Subtitled “The Touring Years,” this new documentary from director Ron Howard focuses on the early era of the Beatles craze, tracking 250 concerts from 1963 to 1966. Not Rated. (On opening night, there will be a Beatle Trivia Contest with prizes.)

SHOWING SEPTEMBER 16/17

“Joysticks” (1983) 
In anticipation of Tulsa’s XPO Game Festival the last weekend of September, the Circle is having late night screenings the weekend prior for this early 80s video arcade R-rated comedy.

SPECIAL EVENTS

“Mother Road Revival: Reception and Movies”
In conjunction with the Route 66-themed folk music festival, historian Michael Wallis will host a screening of shorts, a discussion, and the 7pm feature film “Bagdad Café,” Percy Aldon’s Route 66 classic. (Thurs., Sept. 8, 5:30 p.m.)

“The Mark of Zorro”
One of the earliest feature length versions of the iconic character, it stars matinee idol Douglas Fairbanks as the legendary Zorro. Part of the Second Saturday Silents program, this silent movie event is paired with live music accompaniment by Bill Rowland, on the Circle’s original 1928 theatre pipe organ. (Sat., Sept. 10, 11 a.m.)

“Reparation” Premiere/Q&A/Reception
This award-winning indie continues its national tour after a long festival run. A troubled Air Force veteran finds clues to his lost memories in his daughter’s art while confronted by a stranger looking for answers of his own. (Sun., Sept. 11, 7 p.m.)

Oklahoma Jewish Film Festival 
This 3rd Annual event shares “the legacy of Jewish art, history and religion” over four days. The anchor event is Tuesday night’s showing of the documentary “Rabin In His Own Words,” about the life of Israeli leader Yitzhak Rabin told entirely in his own voice. Festival pass is $75; individual tickets for the Rabin screening/Q&A are $25. (Sun., Sept. 18 through Wed., Sept. 21)

For showtimes and more information on events and revival screenings, visit circlecinema.com

For more from Joe, read his profile of comedian and Blue Whale Comedy Short Film Fest organizer Toby Morton.