The Pop Culture Academy (2024)

25/09/2020

30 Years Of Summer Blockbusters 🎬 [1998]

An argument can be made that the summer of 1998 can clearly be earmarked as the end of an era of when a summer blockbuster could qualify as a non-franchise, non-comic book related film or otherwise. The years that follow will be dominated by each studio mounting its own war against the others for box office supremacy, and their chief weapons were the Jedi, Transformers, talking donkeys, pirates, fast cars and boy wizards. The start of summer was kicked off by one of two meteor/asteroid films that collided with each other over who could be the biggest large-rock-that-would-inevitably-hit-the-earth films. Deep Impact couldn’t have been more different than its antithesis, Armageddon. Directed by Mimi Leader, the film has a light female touch and softness to it, that stands in stark contrast to Michael Bay’s in-your-face, 3 seconds is too long than edit film. Deep Impact may have kicked off the start, but all eyes were on the next film from the dream team of Dean Devlin and Ron Emmerich. Sadly, Godzilla didn’t thrill audiences nearly a quarter of a fraction of what his 1996 Independence Day did. Godzilla quickly sank into the murky depths from which it came. Jim Carey tried his hand at a non-comedy film that was light years ahead of its time. The Truman Show was sadly one of Peter Weir’s last best works, and it failed to nail down an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for a disgruntled Jim Carey. Harrison Ford tried his best to navigate the lightweight romantic comedy, Six Days, Seven Nights. Mulder & Scully made their first big leap into the big screen with The X-Files: Fight The Future. Eddie Murphy’s remake of the Rex Harrison film Doctor Doolittle introduced the world to animated talking mouth critters. Then came the inevitable Fourth of July weekend. I remember this one, unmistakably for its inexplicably tied in my mind to the wild fires that consumed eastern Florida that summer. On the way to the theater to see Bruce Willis save the planet from being plunged into another asteroid apocalypse, I had one unfolding before my very eyes. All of the theaters were closed due to the fires and we had to backtrack to an out of the way older cinema, the Port Orange 6. Unfortunately, all of the showtimes were sold out for the rest of the weekend, because what do you do when you’ve been given the next few days off because the world’s on fire? You see Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler fall in love on an oil rig, that’s what you do. Armageddon would clinch the top spot for the summer and the year, but only for a short while. Mel Gibson and Danny Glover milked their on-screen chemistry for a fourth time, audiences were introduced to what would be the resurgence of the rated R adult, gross-out comedy in There’s Something About Mary, and Antonio Banderas would become the next incarnation of Zorro. But the rest of the summer would be forever dominated by one film, and for very good reason. Saving Private Ryan would completely upend audience’s expectations of what made a war movie great and Steven Spielberg turned it into a visceral experience, that is still be imitated to this day. Janusz Kaminsky’s distressed film gain and use of natural light, lent a realism to Saving Private Ryan that had never been done before. It brought a renewed admiration for the Greatest Generation that had spent half a decade pushing back N**i fascism. For the WWII survivors that saw it, it was sometimes too real, and too much of a reminder of what they had lost nearly 60 years prior. The film was a lock to win Best Picture, but disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein made sure his company’s film Shakespeare In Love walked away with that accolade. The rest of the summer saw another Nicholas Cage film in Snake Eyes, and Wesley Snipes’ Blade which, some argue paved the way for 2000’s X-Men and what was to come. Other notable films that summer included: The Horse Whisperer, Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, Hope Floats, Small Soldiers, The Negotiator, and The Avengers...

$30 Years Of Summer Blockbusters 🎬 [1997]This particular summer feels about as fractured in my memory has Cage and Travol...$

16/09/2020

30 Years Of Summer Blockbusters 🎬 [1997]

This particular summer feels about as fractured in my memory has Cage and Travolta’s faces in Face/Off. I started off the first part of the summer living/working in Denton, TX, but halfway through it, I become a Florida resident... again. The studios started experimenting with larger scale action films like the Tommy Lee Jones lava story, Volcano that flowed slowly into summer starting the last weekend of April. Next weekend saw Michael Meyers’ sleeper Bond parity Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery take everyone by surprise, although it didn’t nearly put up the numbers that Wayne’s World or his previous films did, it gained a huge audience on video rentals and spawned two sequels, one of which gave Star Wars a run for its money. Luc Besson dropped his long gestating Sci-Fi cult classic, The Fifth Element, which cleared a path for audiences to be treated to Spielberg’s follow-up to his dinosaur stomping Jurassic Park franchise. Although, lacking key principle characters from the first story/film, it was adapted from Michael Crichton’s follow-up novel being written from the perspective that Jeff Goldblum’s know-it-all scientist didn’t parish. Needless to say, The Lost World: Jurassic Park gave audiences exactly what they were craving and it dominated the Memorial Day Weekend. George Clooney stepped into the unfortunate Batman & Robin, and the summer of Nicolas Cage saw its first flick with Con Air, Sandra Bullock braved the waves of the Keanu Reeves-less, Speed 2: Cruise Control which quickly sank. Julia Roberts continued offered up another situational romcom in My Friend’s Wedding, and we were all forced to try and imagine she really loved Dermot Mulroney. The big Fourth of July film landed in the form of the clandestine alien policing buddy film teaming of Will Smith & Tommy Lee Jones in Men In Black, and it would go on rein over the summer films as the highest grossing film until Titanic set sail later that Christmas. Jodie Foster explored inner/outer space in the Carl Sagan adaption of his novel Contact. A personal favorite of mine and one that marked the transition of me leaving North Texas to come back to the lowlands of Florida. Only Harrison Ford’s presidential action thriller Air Force One and Mel Gibson’s Conspiracy Theory put any remaining numbers up on the board for what was pretty much a lackluster summer to remember. Other films released that summer worth noting are: Breakdown, Father’s Day, Out To Sea, Nothing To Lose, Good Burger, Spawn, Air Bud, Picture Perfect, Copland, Event Horizon, G.I. Jane, Mimic, George Of The Jungle, The Full Monty and Hoodlum...

14/09/2020

30 Years Of Summer Blockbusters 🎬 [1996]

I found myself now living in Austin, TX at the beginning of the summer of 1996. The summer of flying cows, floating Cruises and exploding White Houses. Studios were now well aware of the three week ramp-up to big Memorial Day showcase showdown, and the started expanding the notches on summer’s release belt. First up, the tornado chasing action/romance, Twister. Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt spend two hours trying to rebuild their once lopsided marriage as multiple tornados rip apart the mid-west. Audiences went nuts for it. Then came what would be the first of many sequels to the seemingly inexhaustible Mission Impossible franchise for Tom Cruise. Director Brian DePalma doing his best Hitchcock imitation solidified Tom Cruise as one, if not, the most bankable actors working in Hollywood. We saw Michael Bay’s second offering of things to come with his Alcatraz action flick The Rock. Funny guys Jim Carey and Eddie Murphy rolled out the misunderstood and ahead of its time The Cable Guy and sizable remark The Nutty Professor. July saw the return of the summer movie trope of alien invaders with director Roland Emmerich’s Independence Day, or what some would to call it ID4. An obvious nod to Cameron’s second Terminator film’s use of T2 to keep it simple stupid. Independence Day was a turned young Will Smith into what would become the crown prince of the July 4th summer movie slot over the next decade. In all honesty, the summer box office didn’t really crank out any other sizable hits are ID4. Jurassic Park had wetted audiences appetites for large computer generated spectacle, and if the film didn’t contain those trailer “moments” of floating cows and Cruises, then they could wait. The other notable films released that summer were as follows: Dragonheart, The Phantom, Eraser, St******se, Phenomenon, Courage Under Fire, Multiplicity, A Time To Kill, Kingpin, Chain Reaction, Escape From L.A., Tin Cup, and The Island Of Dr. Moreau

14/09/2020

30 Years Of Summer Blockbusters 🎬 [1995]

One could argue that Die Hard With A Vengeance or Braveheart kicked off the summer movie season, but I was on the frontlines in 1995, and Meg Ryan’s quirky romantic comedy, French Kiss definitely is the jumping off point. Followed by the Tony Scott submarine power struggle action film, Crimson Tide. Then came NYC cop John McClain doing what he does best. This time dragging poor Samuel L. Jackson along for the ride. That same weekend also saw the Billy Crystal romcom Forget Paris. Mel Gibson’s Braveheart was the single most unexpected film to not only capture audiences, but have legs enough to weather the year’s Oscar season to emerge nearly 10 months later the victor of the night. The next biggest hit, which subsequently would be the summer’s largest grossing and the year’s top hit was Joel Schumacher’s reimagining of the caped crusader in Batman Forever. Followed closely by the years second highest grossing film, Apollo 13. The rest of the summer saw a lot of tepid bows from Clueless to The Usual Suspects. Also a number of critical and box office failures such as Waterworld and Judge Dredd. Other notable films for the summer of 1995 include: Casper, Johnny Mnemonic, The Bridges Of Madison County, Congo, Pocahontas, First Knight, Nine Months, The Indian In The Cupboard, Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, The Net, Babe, Something To Talk About, Virtuosity, Dangerous Minds and Desperado

11/09/2020

30 Years Of Summer Blockbusters 🎬 [1994]

For the first part of the summer of 1994, I found myself living in Washington DC; working at a local video rental chain store called Potomac Video. I was an assistant manager at the Connecticut Ave location that happened to be next door neighbors with the now defunct Uptown Theater. I remember this, because Disney had decided to premiere its big summer animated offering, The Lion King at the theater next door, and that gave me and my fellow employees pseudo-front row seats for all of the celebrity sightseeing. In one afternoon our little Connecticut Ave side was invaded by Ferris Bueller and Darth Vader before our very eyes. I even ran into Cheech Marin at the Greek deli next door! That summer started off with another television to movie adaption of the 60’s western sage Maverick. You’d think the recipe of Richard Donner, Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster and James Gardner reprising his role as the titular gambling cowboy would elicit some excitement, but the film was met with both mild reviews and mild audience love. Eddie Murphy failed to capture the humor and magic of his career solidifying role of Axel Foley in a third Beverly Hills Cop outing. Another TV to film adaption with the much beloved family from Bedrock. The Flintstones, for all of its awfulness, raked in mounds of cash that summer. Billy Crystal rode off into the sunset on the sequel that killed any hope of a third City Slickers, mostly because the chemistry of Crystal and silent tough guy Jack Palance (who had past away) was missing. Keanu Reeves proved his box office worth as LA cop trapped on a bomb laden bus, also making Sandra Bullock an overnight household name. Disney knocked it out of the park... again... with what would be Disney Animation Studio’s last colossal hit until Frozen. Kevin Costner turned out underrated Western in Wyatt Earp. Tom Hanks ran across the country (not only twice) but across the Oscar finish line, and to the top of the year’s box office in Forrest Gump. True Lies saw the last paring of James Cameron/Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Client proved that anything written by John Grisham was like printing money. And Harrison Ford ended the summer tent poles with his second and final turn as Jack Ryan in Clear And Present Danger. Other notable films worth mentioning are: The Crow, Wolf, I Love Trouble, Blown Away, The Shadow, It Could Happen To You, Airheads, and Natural Born Killers...

06/09/2020

30 Years Of Summer Blockbusters 🎬 [1993]

This one is for the record books. The summer of the genetically engineered dinosaur was a memorable one for many reasons. Most notably for its widespread use of computer generated imagery, CGI for short. It would become the turning pointing for the almost hostile takeover of the film industry. The studios pumping out as many computer generated special effects laden shots as it could. Meanwhile, the classic filmic storytelling would experience an American independent movement that would explode in the mid-90’s, especially with Quentin Tarantino lurking in the shadows. May kicked off especially early with the studios dumping some slow performers like Dave, Excessive Force, Sliver, Hot Shots! Part Deux and others in anticipation of Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of the number one best selling Michael Crichton novel. Stallone’s mountain climbing actioneer, Cliffhanger held on, but Arnold Schwarzenegger’s loop-sided Last Action Hero was just, raking in just a fraction of what the CGI velociraptors chomped down on. End of June saw strong performers from Tom Cruise’s The Firm and the Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan romcom Sleepless In Seattle. Later in August we’d see Harrison Ford in the year’s second best performer, The Fugitive. Other notable films from that summer included: In The Line Of Fire, Free W***y, Hocus Pocus, What’s Love Got To Do With It, Denis The Menace, Son In Law, Rookie Of The Year, The Piano, Another Stakeout, Coneheads, So I Married An Ax Murderer, Searching For Bobby Fischer, Needful Things, The Man Without A Face, and The Secret Garden...

06/09/2020

30 Years Of Summer Blockbusters 🎬 [1992]

The summer of 1992 I graduated high school and the box office didn’t really see too many sequels, and saw one studio, Warner Bros. move up its summer starter, Lethal Weapon 3 up one weekend to the middle of May, instead of waiting for the obligatory Memorial Day weekend to launch into the fun. The following weekend saw a third Alien installment that tanked horribly, with not only critics, but with audiences as well. A second Tom Cruise/Nicole Kidman paring with the Ron Howard coming to America, Far, And Away, and new comer Brendan Fraser’s Neolithic comedy Encino Man. Sister Act performed strongly, Harrison Ford found himself in familiar action hero territory filling the role of Jack Ryan in Patriot Games. Then later that June all eyes were on the man in black... not Bruce Wayne... Tim Burton. Although it performed incredibly well, and held the top spot for the calendar year. Batman Returns by comparison was a financial failure. It under performed by nearly $100 million dollars from its 1989 predecessor. July saw strong showings from Hanks with A League Of Their Own. A major Hollywood studio picture directed by a woman, about women, and it ranked 7th for the year, showing just how strong female centric stories could do. It was a real game changer. Eddie Murphy’s romantic comedy Boomerang didn’t perform at the box office very well, but on VHS was a smash rental. Other notable films included: Cool World, Universal Soldier, Death Becomes Her, HouseSitter, Prelude To A Kiss, Single White Female, Raising Cain, Honeymoon In Vegas, and Honey, I Blew Up The Kid...

03/09/2020

30 Years Of Summer Blockbusters 🎬 [1991]

The summer of 1991 might just rival 1989 for sheer value of, not only quality of films, but lasting nostalgic merit. In a year that saw the overall box office numbers plummet 11% from 1990, only two movies really performed as expected. James Cameron’s Terminator sequel and Kevin Costner’s turn at playing Robin Hood. Hollywood’s biggest stars saw flop after flop with Julia Roberts’ Dying Young, Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer’s Frankie And Johnny, and Harrison Ford’s Regarding Henry. That’s not to say that there wasn’t success found with City Slickers, Backdraft, The Rocketeer, Hot Shots!, Thelma & Louise and Point Break. It was the year black cinema really broke into the mainstream with breakout hits from Boyz n The Hood and earlier in the spring with New Jack City. Other notable films included: What About Bob?, The Naked Gun 2 1/2, Doc Hollywood, Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, Soapdish, Jungle Fever and Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead...

02/09/2020

30 Years Of Summer Blockbusters [1990] 🎬

Like most summer movie lineups, 1990 didn’t fail to disappoint, nor surprise audiences too terribly much. Only a handful of its releases really went on to become memorable classics. I get a lot of flack from friends for this, but I am like a Holocaust denier when it comes to the two Back To The Future sequels. So for me, seeing Michael J. Fox run around the old west didn’t really fuel my desire to see Back To The Future III more than it’s required single viewing. I found myself somewhat surprised by the fact that I was oddly entertained by Renny Harlin’s Die Hard installment. Had almost zero interest, like most in Dick Tracy, and didn’t find Schwarzenegger’s Total Recall all that mind-blowing either at 16 years old. Days Of Thunder, Tony Scott’s follow up to his smash success teaming with Tom Cruise on Top Gun, didn’t really connect with larger audiences on its theatrical run, but found itself with legs on VHS later. Sequels to Gremlins, Robocop, Young Guns, and 48 Hours also had lukewarm drawing power. Other notable films released that summer: Ghost, Presumed Innocent, Bird On A Wire, Flatliners, Arachnophobia, Problem Child, Air America and many more...

01/09/2020

30 Years Of Summer Blockbusters [1989] 🎬

The summer of 1989 as long been regarded as one of the strongest for memorable movie going experiences. I was living in Tampa, was a 15 yr old fresh out of 9th grade, and eagerly anticipating weekly, if not sometimes daily visits to the Cineplex Odeon 8 on Hillsborough Rd. Outside of the four films pictured below, that summer saw additional sequels to James Bond, Star Trek, The Karate Kid, Friday The 13th and the Nightmare On Elm Street series as well. Indiana Jones’ third installment was the sure-fire contender to top the year’s box office, but no one could have expected Tim Burton’s reimagining of the Caped Crusader would flip everyone’s expectation for what a “comic book” movie could be, and crushed not only critical naysayers, but would be the first piece of the puzzle for what laid the groundwork for all future comic book films. Batman also saw Jack Nicholson as the highest paid actor to-date, with his $5 million dollar payday. Mel Gibson and Danny Glover turned in another Lethal Weapon flick, and audiences could not be won over by another Ghostbusters film. That franchise has long struggled with the colossal appeal of its first film. Other notable films released that summer: The Abyss, Dead Poets Society, Do The Right Thing, Parenthood and When Harry Met Sally...

31/08/2020

In this unprecedented time in our history, we’ve now reached the end of what is typically known as the Summer Movie Season. For decades this time is reserved for the largest pieces of cinematic entertainment the studios, and sometimes independents can unspool for the masses. Starting tomorrow I’ll be taking a look back at the last 30 years of summer movie going experiences from my past. I decided to start with the watershed year of 1989, not only for its perfect numerical symmetry, but because it is one of the first summers that had multiple franchise films that shattered box office records and exceeded audiences expectations to become beloved classics today. I’ll be showcasing 4 films each day. Picked not only for their box office drawing power, but also for their nostalgic integrity, and overall enduring legacy as embodying what makes a great summer movie. See you in the balcony!

The Pop Culture Academy

25/09/2020

16/09/2020

14/09/2020

14/09/2020

11/09/2020

06/09/2020

06/09/2020

03/09/2020

02/09/2020

01/09/2020

31/08/2020

Address

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share