Slate's Bizbox
summer movies: The joy of blockbusters.

Slate's Summer Movies IssueOld habits die hard.


Updated Friday, June 29, 2007, at 7:33 AM ET
Illustration by Deanna Staffo. Click image to expand.

We hear the sound of a Michael Bay movie in the distance. Bruce Willis is blowing up stuff with that guy from the Mac ads. We finally finished Proust. It must be time, then, for another edition of the Slate Summer Movies issue. This year, we ponder ninjas, Patrick Swayze, stoners, suburban despair, Brad Bird, rats, one-liners, gunfighters, and the most important question of all: Who invented Junior Mints? So, supersize that Pepsi, find a center seat, and enjoy the show.

Tuesday

"Yippee-Ki-Yay ... : The greatest one-liner in movie history," by Eric Lichtenfeld. Posted June 26, 2007.

"The State of the Ninja: Pop-cultural cliché or poised for a comeback?" by Grady Hendrix. Posted June 26, 2007.

"Revolutionary Road­—the Movie: Leonardo DiCaprio. Kate Winslet. Richard Yates' dark novel is finally being made into a Hollywood movie," by Blake Bailey. Posted June 26, 2007.

"Leisure and Innocence: The eternal appeal of the stoner movie," by Marisa Meltzer. Posted June 26, 2007.

"Make It a Large for a Quarter More?: A short history of movie theater concession stands. Plus: A candy quiz!" by Jill Hunter Pellettieri. Posted June 26, 2007.

"Real American Hero: The analog awesomeness of Live Free or Die Hard," by Dana Stevens. Posted June 26, 2007.

Wednesday

"The Surf Also Rises: How macho movies get misread as homoerotic," by Matt Feeney. Posted June 27, 2007.

"Killer Ideas: Using movie plots to combat terrorism," by Denis Seguin. Posted June 27, 2007.

"The Original Tarantino: How Sergio Leone ushered in our borderless pop culture," by Elbert Ventura. Posted June 27, 2007.

"Wait Till Next Year: Not impressed with this summer's blockbusters? Check out what's on tap for summer 2008," by Keith Phipps. Posted June 27, 2007.

Thursday

"Happy Meal: Ratatouille moved me to tears," by Dana Stevens. Posted June 28, 2007.

"Brad Bird, Animation Auteur: How the director of Ratatouille became the Stanley Kubrick of animation," by Josh Levin. Posted June 28,2007.

Friday

"Rat and Mouse Game: What rat movies are really about," by Troy Patterson. Posted June 29, 2007.

"Fraywatch: Subverting the male gays," by Geoff Andersen. Posted June 29, 2007.

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Illustration by Deanna Staffo.
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