No, this is not an exposé on what "adult" films are being released this summer; I do have a little, if only a little, tact when it comes to my writing. So far during my Seven Days of Summer Movies, we have seen all of the family fun, fanboy mania, sequels, remakes, and mindless amusement that is to be had this summer at your local cineplex. But what about the grown-ups? When is it going to be their turn? Now seems like as wonderful a time as any.
We begin, as we have all week, in the month of June; writing its way into our lives first is a very cool documentary by the name of Wordplay. Directed by Patrick Creadon, Wordplay is a celebrity-packed and in-depth look at New York Times crossword puzzle master Will Shortz and his legions of crazy, crossed up fans.
And when I say "celebrity-packed," I am referring to appearances from Jon Stewart, President Bill Clinton, and Ken Burns. Being heralded as a fantastic documentary is one thing, but being heralded as a fantastic documentary about crossword puzzles is a completely different story. Even with a very limited release (NY and LA), this one still makes me want to track it down and see what all the fuss is about.
Later in June comes another limited release that is sparking some heated conversation, as it is based on the true story of four British Muslims who were jailed for two years by American intelligence officials and mysteriously never charged. The Road to Guantanamo could be, if it finds a wide release, one of the more provocative films of the entire summer. This looks to be a film that takes a very harsh look at what "protecting the country from terrorists" really entails. Even though it is getting less press than a film like Da Vinci, this one has all the early rumblings of something that could ignite some serious controversy and some less than friendly bipartisan debate.
Moving on from the limited but provocative releases of June, we are met in July with the latest from Hollywood's most obscure and undeniably impossible-to-ignore director, M. Night Shyamalan. With Lady in the Water, Shyamalan has adapted a bedtime story he wrote for his kids into a carefully crafted fantasy film about — you guessed it — a lady who comes out of the water. Paul Giamatti, who is always sensational, stars as a janitor who rescues this lady from a swimming pool and is ultimately sucked into her world. I am not sure what happens after that, but I guess that is the point. M. Night has become the master of twists, and we are all going to be sitting on the edge of our seats through this one, of that you can be quite certain.



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