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Check out these Updates from Armchair Commentary for July 7, 2010.

Savoring Movies About Summer July 7, 2010 Did you get a whiff of that? Summer is in the air. And it always carries the scent of great expectations. Maybe that's because when we're kids, summer means freedom (as in no school) and the hint of good times to come. Summer is traditionally a time when movie studios like to trot out their tent-pole, big-budget films. But there are also a number of sweet films that perfectly capture summer's essence of expectation and the possibility of big changes to come. The Summer of '42 (1971): Three teen pals, Hermie, Oscy and Benjie (Gary Grimes, Jerry Houser and Oliver Conant), goof around on sunny Nantucket Island, telling bawdy jokes, ogling girls and figuring out how to lose their virginity. While The Summer of '42 has its snickering, wink-wink-nudge-nudge moments, this beautifully crafted film never goes the way of Porky's. Hermie strikes up a friendship with a gorgeous "older woman" (Jennifer O'Neill) who is also summering on Nantucket. He quickly develops a crush on the recently wed Dorothy, doing odd chores for her while her soldier husband is away fighting in World War II. The ending will have you in tears and the Oscar-winning theme music will haunt you for years. Lifeguard (1975): I begged my parents to take my friend Debbie and me to see this movie. Correction: I begged them to drop us off at the mall – and quickly speed away, never acknowledging us or letting on that we were remotely associated with the 38-year-olds who dropped us off in a station wagon. Sam Elliot is a hunky 30-ish lifeguard who goes to his 15-year high-school reunion and faces big questions about his present and future. Parker Stevenson plays his lifeguard protegee (almost in the same way Patrick Swayze's Dalton is to Elliot's Wade Garrett in Road House). It's a beautifully, lazily shot, '70s time capsule. No deep life lessons here; just good Noxzema-scented fun. Little Darlings (1980): Ah, summer camp. Birch-bark canoes, lanyard necklaces, food fights, losing-your-virginity contests. Yikes. Despite the underlying story, Kristy McNichol (tough-girl Angel) and Tatum O'Neal (posh-girl Ferris) do a fine job of portraying teens from different sides of the track who learn that heartbreak knows no socio-economic status. It's actually a delightful movie and the soundtrack will bring back memories. Here's a challenge: Find the future Sex and the City star who happens to be among the campers. Matt Dillon and Armand Assante play the girls' conquests. P.S. to nervous parents: Don't worry, it turns out just fine! Stand By Me (1986): Rob Reiner directed this film based on a short story by Stephen King. It features Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell, Wil Wheaton and the late River Phoenix, as a group of awkward boys who struggle with their dorkiness and of course, bullies (Kiefer Sutherland leads the bully-pack). Over the long, boring Labor Day weekend, the boys learn of a dead body hidden in the woods and set off to find it. Stand By Me is not your typical King story. There are lighthearted moments - OK, the leeches scene was gross, but funny in that "glad it's not me" way. But the film's standout moments are when the boys reveal tales of painful home lives, their disconnect with their families and failure to meet parental expectations. It's a sweet movie; even though there's a dead body involved (not a phrase I'd ever find myself typing). Ghost World (2001): No beach balls, no sand. Terry Zwigoff's film follows non-cookie-cutter girls Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) the summer after their high-school graduation. I'd been a huge fan of Dan Clowes' Eightball comics and loved the Ghost World serial, so I was dubious about the big-screen translation and execution of this comic. Zwigoff and Clowes deliver. This movie is poignant, yet hysterically funny. If you've ever home-dyed your hair green while dancing to the Buzzcocks, you'll understand why sometimes you have to leave your best friend (or friends) behind in order to be yourself. Wow, I made it through this post without using the phrase "coming of age." So, let's hear it: What are your favorite summer-of-change movies? – Francine Ruley Q&A with Bruce Timm: "Batman: Under the Red Hood" July 7, 2010 Who's under the Red Hood? Bruce Timm knows, but he's not telling. However, he answers a bevy of other questions in an interesting Q&A focused on the upcoming release of Batman: Under the Red Hood , the latest entry in the ongoing series of DC Universe... read more

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