What I'm Seeing This Week
The PR folk have taken the week off due to the holiday.

What I Saw Last Week
Both Public Enemies and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs had screenings. I'm giving Public Enemies a solid grade, it's well paced and an homage of sorts, harkening back to old school cinema. As I tweeted on Saturday morning, I managed to catch Ice Age 3 with a couple hundred kids. I liked that one too, so far as kids' movies go. My bud Brad mentioned on the way out how it's interesting that only Pixar aims for anything ambitious on the children's front. Fox and Dreamworks do put out a nice product, but they aren't shooting for anything more than entertaining the kids while not completely losing the adults. Sidenote: do you think the people from Dreamworks and Pixar ever have drinks? And do the Pixar folk wear berets?

Press Releases of Note
Since the press is boring this week I'd like to take a moment to dip into the furor my "Ten Things About Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen That Didn't Make Any Sense" article caused. Many people agreed with me. However, as expected, the "big dumb fun" crowd reared its ugly head too. So I think it's time we skewer that argument, once and for all, with a simple mathematical equation. Ready for it?

When something is "dumb" (though FUN!!) it by definition loses a portion of the audience. Why? Because some segment of our population pays attention to things like dialogue, logic, plot progression, character development, and internal logic. Not everyone, but some people. Our internal polling indicated that 32 percent of Film.com readers found Tranformers: Revenge of the Fallen to be average to below average. When you lose that 32 percent you've made the movie LESS FUN. Consider also that people spend their whole life trying to make a movie. Michael Bay spent a kajillion dollars to make a film that one-third of the people thought wasn't even above average. That's an enormous waste of time, money and resources.

If you make Dark Knight, Star Trek, Iron Man, or heck, even The Incredible Hulk, you generally bring along most of the audience. No one ever complains, "Wow, that movie was way too smart for me." Because even people who like "big dumb fun" can appreciate when a film challenges them. If you make Terminator: Salvation or Transformers 2 you lose people. So then, let's go to the equation:

Big Dumb Fun = possible 68 percent audience approval
Huge Smart Fun = possible 99 percent approval

So why are all you "big dumb fun" people being so undemocratic? Why do you want to lose folks right off the bat? Do you hate freedom?

Making excuses and lowering expectations aren't the hallmark of a good argument. If you want to settle, cool, but in general, gains in life come from wanting more, expecting better, and demanding excellence. All of human progress is built upon the ideal that life could be better. Starting today, you don't have to bow to the approved studio ideal of "don't expect too much for your $10." You could, for a change, get on my side. The side that likes good movies. The side that challenges directors to do better. Just a crazy thought.

Today's Movie Stories on the Internets
The best part of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was the Taco Bell commercial that aired beforehand. It's a Flight of the Conchords-style romp.

Best Story of the Week Not by Me
Want even more T-Formers fun? Charlie Jane Anders wrote the best review on the net over at I09.

Deep Thought of the Week
I've often heard "We gotta party down." But you also hear "We should party it up." So which is correct? Is the true nature of a party to boogie down? Or to get your mood up? These are the things that plague me.

Early Box Office Take
It's going to be close. Like most summer films, Transformers 2 is going to be frontloaded. The second Ice Age almost hit $70m, but this one opens on Wednesday which could drain it a bit. Public Enemies has a chance too, though. I like Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs to win, but barely.

Videos For You
A new Ricky Gervais film? Don't mind if I do. It's like Liar, Liar but with actual comedy!

Stay sweet Internets. Stay sweet forever.

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