I'm still alive.

It's been a full month since my last post, which may leave some wondering: has this blog been abandoned? Perhaps I should be channeling Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood by shouting "I've abandoned my blog!" with disturbing conviction.  Or maybe I should just apologize for the slacking blogger the dog days of summer have led me to become.  Indeed, this is my first full summer as a film blogger (it started last August, so the anniversary is coming up; information about where to send flowers and checks will be provided at a later date), and the inherent laziness of the season has kept me from the computer.  Of course, this doesn't explain how behind I've gotten on reviewing movies over on my Rotten Tomatoes account, an epidemic that started back in March when I failed to compose my glowing notice about Hanna in good time.  I've still yet to offer Joe Wright's fairy tale meets rock concert the praise it so duly deserves.

Why have I become so lax?  The main reason is the shift in focus of my life, entertainment-wise, when the summer rolls around.  In these months of quasi-freedom, TV shows take precedence.  Just as Avatar: The Last Airbender and my beloved Buffy dominated my sunny months last year, so Fringe has laid claim to much of my free time this year.  Now, The Vampire Diaries is taking over.  Also, with Zelda madness seizing my brain, I've been putting a lot of time into playing as many entries in the franchise as possible in anticipation of Skyward Sword's release later this year.

Of course, I've still been making frequent trips to the theater.  The Tree of Life affected me in a way no other film ever has; it was utterly transportive.  A review/reaction is in the works, and I hope to buckle down and finish it soon.  Better late than never, right?

I've been thrilled by blockbusters that deliver on their promises, including Marvel's three offerings this summer (the just-released Captain America is one of the finest superhero origin films I've ever seen, and the post-credits bit almost brought me to tears of sheer excitement) and the final Harry Potter, which was a definite improvement over its limp predecessor, even if it still (ironically) lacked the magic that motivated some of the earlier films.                                                            
Cars 2, Kung Fu Panda 2, and Winnie the Pooh have all proved charming family fare, though I imagine I enjoyed them all more than any of the kids in the respective theaters.

Other favorites include Midnight in Paris, one of Woody Allen's funniest movies and featuring a hysterical ensemble.  An elderly woman leaving the screening before mine kept repeating how it was the most charming movie she'd seen in a long time.  Submarine, the British import about young love getting a marketing boost from executive producer Ben Stiller, is a delight that, hopefully, many film-goers will stumble upon.  In addition to these two, the summer has been filled with great comedies such as Bridesmaids (one of the funniest movies I've ever seen - Kristen Wiig deserves Oscar nominations for her writing and acting), Horrible Bosses with its great ensemble, and the delightfully low-key The Trip, which has inspired me to perfect my Michael Caine impersonation.  It's coming along quite nicely, thanks.

Of course, we've still a month left to go, and there are plenty more movies I can't wait to see, ranging from next week's Crazy Stupid Love to Miranda July's The Future to the cool-looking Rise of the Planet of the Apes.  With luck (or perhaps a stronger work ethic) this page will be updated more frequently in the coming weeks.  Although, perhaps, with luck, it won't be, as I'm waiting to hear if I get to be an extra in The Avengers as it shoots in Cleveland next month.  Though I could use all my down-time on set to compose more cinematic musings for your perusal.