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10 Films To See In July (what are you watching?)

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10 Films To See In July



Summer can be a depressing time for moviegoers. The "biggest" films, often having been anticipated for years, regularly end up ranging from terrible disappointments to mediocre events, with few actually delivering. Here we are, in the heat of the blockbuster season and that has certainly been the case. This month sees a fair share of popcorn pleasers, but it is another month where the true highlights lie in mostly limited releases. Check it out below.

See:

10. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (David Yates; July 15th)



Synopsis: The end begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione return to Hogwarts to find and destroy the final horcruxes. But when Voldemort finds out about their mission, the battle we've all known has been coming -- Harry vs. Voldemort -- looms large on the horizon. And who will triumph?

Trailer

Why You Should See It: After a decade of adventure, the Harry Potter series is coming to end. I've been too burned on David Yates' films to put this higher on the list, but fans seem to adore his bleak tone. I just hope this finale delivers on the action it promises and wraps it up perfectly for those that have lived and breathed this series for the last ten years.

9. Winnie the Pooh (Stephen J. Anderson and Don Hall; July 15th)



Synopsis: While out looking for some honey, Winnie the Pooh is pulled into a quest to save Christopher Robin from an imaginary culprit.

Trailer

Why You Should See It: It maybe riding off pure nostalgia, but there's nothing wrong with a perfectly innocent time with some of my favorite characters from childhood. Running just under 70 minutes, this should just give you enough breezy fun.

8. Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest (Michael Rapaport; July 8th)

beats_rhymes.jpg


Synopsis: A documentary on legendary hip-hop troupe A Tribe Called Quest, from their formation in the mid-1980s, through their 1990s heyday, to their troubled reunion and unclear future.

Trailer


Why You Should See It: If you are a fan of ATCQ, this is a must-see. If you are unfamiliar with the group it paints a vivid portrait of each persona and song that made them so influential. Weaving the history and music of one of the greatest musical entities to ever grace your ears, Beats, Rhymes and Life is the ultimate tribute for any fan of the Tribe. Check out our Sundance review here.

7. The Guard (John Michael McDonagh; July 29th)

the_guard.jpg


Synopsis: An unorthodox Irish cop (Brendan Gleeson) is paired with a straight-laced FBI agent (Don Cheadle) to investigate an international drug-smuggling ring.

Trailer

Why You Should See It: Writer and director John Michael McDonagh (brother of In Bruges helmer Martin McDonagh) takes on the Irish police force in this comedy, which has earned comparisons to Hot Fuzz. I see this as only the highest of compliments, and reviews for it have been fairly promising. This is one that looks like it could be a lot of fun, something that isn’t always synonymous with the term “limited release.”

6. Cowboys & Aliens (Jon Favreau; July 29th)



Synopsis: In Silver City, Arizona, Apache Indians and Western settlers must lay their differences aside when an alien spaceship crash lands in their city.

Trailer

Why You Should See It: To see if the proposition will click with audiences is yet to be determined, but Iron Man helmer Jon Favreau has smashed a western and sci-fi film together and it looks to be about as much fun as one could have at a summer blockbuster. Add in Harrison Ford, who seems to be putting forth some effort (a rare thing for the actor as of late), and I'll be in theaters day one for this.


5. Captain America: The First Avenger (Joe Johnston; July 22nd)



Synopsis: After being deemed unfit for military service during WWII, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) volunteers for a top secret research project that turns him into Captain America, the Sentinel of Liberty -- a superhero dedicated to defending America's ideals. His first mission: to combat the Nazi propaganda effort headed by Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving), also known as the Red Skull.

Trailer

Why You Should See It: As we mention Ford above, the art director for Raiders of the Lost Ark seems to be harkening back to that style for his superhero blockbuster Captain America. The buzz is strong for Joe Johnston's throwback actioner and we do need our comicbook hero this summer, as so many have failed us.

4. Horrible Bosses (Seth Gordon; July 8th)



Synopsis: Three friends (Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jason Sudeikis) make a pact to rid the world of their respective bosses.

Trailer

Why You Should See It: While Bridesmaids had more heart, Horrible Bosses has more laughs per minute than any comedy this year. Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell, Jennifer Aniston, and Jamie Foxx all have some of the best comedic roles of their careers. And if that doesn't get you in the theater, it is by the director of the fantastic documentary King of Kong.

3. Life In a Day (Kevin Macdonald and Ridley Scott; July 24th)



Synopsis: A documentary shot by filmmakers all over the world that serves as a time capsule to show future generations what it was like to be alive on the 24th of July, 2010.

Trailer

Why You Should See It: After receiving 5,000 hours of content, executive producer Ridley Scott and co-director Kevin Macdonald worked with their team of twenty editors to create something truly remarkable for this YouTube crowd-sourced documentary. I loved the stirring celebration of life when I saw it at Sundance this year. You can check out my full review here.

2. Crazy, Stupid, Love. (Glenn Ficarra and John Requa; July 29th)



Synopsis: A married guy (Steve Carell) tries to balance handling a crisis with his wife (Julianne Moore), attending couples therapy, and maintaining his relationship with his kids.

Trailer

Why You Should See It: On the surface this might look like a generic romantic comedy, but the buzz is insanely high for what is described as "Richard Curtis and Jim Brooks smooshed together with Cameron Crowe." The cast is fantastic, the trailer is promising and screenwriter Dan Fogelman (paid $2.5 million for this script) is on a streak as he has projects with Tom Cruise, Al Pacino, Seth Rogen, and more coming up.

1. Attack The Block (Joe Cornish; July 29th)



Synopsis: Moses (John Boyega) and the rest of his teen gang look to protect Wyndham Tower -- their housing estate -- from an alien invasion.

Trailer

Why You Should See It: It's a shame the summer's best blockbuster will likely get the least attention. Premiering at SXSW, Joe Cornish's sci-fi horror/comedy/thriller/actioner delivers everything you want from each of those genres. It's simply a must-see.

--------------------------------------------

Matinee:

Another Earth (Mike Cahill; July 22nd)

another_earth.jpg


Synopsis: On the night of the discovery of a duplicate planet in the solar system, an ambitious young student and an accomplished composer cross paths in a tragic accident.

Trailer

Why You Should See a Matinee: This Sundance indie sci-fi romance gathered mostly positive remarks from the fest. The trailer makes it seem like there is a lot more sci-fi in it than I’ve actually heard, but I’m a sucker for these low budget efforts wrapped in that genre. The film also stars breakout leading lady Brit Marling (who also had the hit Sound of My Voice there), William Mapother, Jordan Baker, Robin Lord Taylor, and Flint Beverage.

Friends with Benefits (Will Gluck; July 22nd)



Synopsis: While trying to avoid the clichés of Hollywood romantic comedies, Dylan (Justin Timberlake) and Jamie (Mila Kunis) soon discover however that adding the act of sex to their friendship does lead to complications.

Trailer

Why You Should See a Matinee: Although it will get a lot of comparisons to Mila Kunis' Black Swan co-star Natalie Portman's No Strings Attached, Easy A director Will Gluck has created a much snappier, hilarious, and smarter look at the situation.

Point Blank (Fred Cavayé; July 29th)



Synopsis: Samuel Pierret (Gilles Lellouche) is a nurse who saves the wrong guy -- a thief (Roschdy Zem) whose henchmen take Samuel's pregnant wife (Elena Anaya) hostage to force him to spring their boss from the hospital. A race through the subways and streets of Paris ensues, and the body count rises. Can Samuel evade the cops and the criminal underground and deliver his beloved to safety?

Trailer

Why You Should See a Matinee: We saw this French thriller at Tribeca and loved it. Exciting and well-crafted it more or less does right what so many recent American action films have been doing wrong. Directed by Fred Cavayé, who helmed Pour elle, which was remade into Paul Haggis‘ The Next Three Days starring Russell Crowe, check it out in limited release this month.

The Devil's Double (Lee Tamahori; July 29th)

devils_double.jpg


Synopsis: Forced to become the body double of Uday Hussein, Latif Ahmed (Dominic Cooper) bears witness to daily life under Saddam Hussein's reign, from lavish extravagances to sadistic acts of brutality.

Trailer

Why You Should See a Matinee: This one was off my radar until I saw the insane poster and absurd preview recently. Our review from Sundance indicates that it’s a film worthy of such marketing, and that makes me happy. While a subject like Uday Hussein could (and should) be given a serious look, this is taking a much more cartoonish route. And you know what? When it looks as entertaining as it does, I don’t mind.

Larry Crowne (Tom Hanks; July 1st)



Synopsis: Unclear of his next steps after losing his job at a big-box retailer, Larry Crowne (Tom Hanks) enrolls at his local college, where he finds a niche among the school's community of outcasts, and a connection with a teacher (Julia Roberts) who has lost her passion for life.

Trailer

Why You Should See a Matinee: The reviews are middling, but I'm still somewhat looking forward to checking out Tom Hanks' next directing/co-writing/producing/starring effort. I know I'm part of the problem, but after all the great work he has put out, it is only deserved.

The Perfect Host (Nick Tomnay; July 1st)



Synopsis: Injured and on the run after what was supposed to be a foolproof bank robbery, John (Clayne Crawford) cons his way into the home of Warwick Wilson (David Hyde Pierce) as he prepares for a dinner party. Over the course of the evening, the true nature of both men is revealed, but who has the darker intentions?

Trailer

Why You Should See a Matinee: After premiering at Sundance Film Festival in 2010, we haven’t heard much about Nick Tomnay‘s directorial debut. The “slippery psychological thriller” stars a very creepy-looking David Hyde Pierce (Frasier, Wet Hot American Summer) and Clayne Crawford (24, A Walk To Remember). The film will finally be getting a theatrical and VOD release this summer, so check it out if that wacky trailer interests you.

Project Nim (James Marsh; July 8th)

project_nim.jpg


Synopsis: A documentary on a 1970s experiment that aimed to show that a chimpanzee, if raised and nurtured like a human child, could learn to communicate with language.

Trailer

Why You Should See a Matinee: From James Marsh, the documentarian who crafted the Oscar-winning doc Man on Wire, comes another real-life tale of human hubris and the damage it wrought. This animal doc was a festival favorite at Sundance this year, and it’s easy to see why. Marsh masterfully unfolds the tragic tale of this lovable chimp, by introducing the colorful characters who served as his family for intervals and allowing each to have their say. What unfolds is a story that is deeply moving but never smaltzy, and an intriguing commentary on human nature. Check out our Sundance review here.

Tabloid (Errol Morris; July 15th)

tabloid.jpg


Synopsis: A documentary on a former Miss Wyoming who is charged with abducting and imprisoning a young Mormon Missionary.

Trailer

Why You Should See a Matinee: 2011 has been a great year for docs, but few compare to the wackiness and sheer entertainment value found in master documentary filmmaker Errol Morris‘ latest project. I saw Tabloid at TIFF last year and it is a nonstop, evolving exercise in craziness. Definitely seek this out.

Sarah's Key (Gilles Paquet-Brenner; July 22nd)



Synopsis: In modern-day Paris, a journalist (Kristen Scott Thomas) finds her life becoming entwined with a young girl whose family was torn apart during the notorious Vel' d'Hiv Roundup in 1942.

Trailer

Why You Should See a Matinee: After premiering to good reviews at Toronto International Film Festival last year, this historical fiction tale is hitting limited theaters this month. Kristen Scott Thomas is a fantastic actress and I can't wait to see her carry this journey.

The Future (Miranda July; July 29th)

the_future.jpg


Synopsis: When a couple decides to adopt a stray cat their perspective on life changes radically, literally altering the course of time and space and testing their faith in each other and themselves.

Trailer

Why You Should See a Matinee: Toeing the line between pretension and pleasure for all of its 91 minutes, Miranda July’s The Future ultimately emerges as a testament to original voice yelled out to the heavens, on a shoestring budget. The film grants narration from a cat as its opener before literally stopping time for a solid chunk of the third act. This kind of boldness must be met with concrete vision and purpose; July has both and rarely takes her eye off the ball. Check out our Sundance review here.

Terri (Azazel Jacobs; July 1st)



Synopsis: A comedy centered on the relationship between oversized teen misfit Terri (Jacob Wysocki) and his well-meaning vice principal (John C. Reilly) who takes an interest in him.

Trailer

Why You Should See a Matinee: After seeing the film at Sundance, this coming-of-age story has a few great scenes, but I was underwhelmed with the dry tone. It was light on satisfying comedy and drama, when I expected at least one to show through. Talking with a few others, the reaction seemed to be divisive and I encourage you to check it out for yourself in limited release.

What are you looking forward to this month? What will you avoid?
 
Terri and Another Earth as Matinee?? Your judgment is almost as bad as your "&" coding. ;D

Those are the only two movies that matter this month. I made the same claim with Submarine last month and was naturally proven 100% right.
 
BenjaminBirdie said:
Terri and Another Earth as Matinee?? Your judgment is almost as bad as your "&" coding. ;D

Those are the only two movies that matter this month. I made the same claim with Submarine last month and was naturally proven 100% right.

Ha, that "&" just transfers over here when I convert from html to bbcode. Yeah, I wasn't too hot on Terri when I saw it. Another Earth was on the list at #10 when I was drafting, but dropped it down at the last moment for Harry Potter :/

I hope I don't regret that. By the way, Submarine is amazing, that's why it was #2 last month. I haven't heard overwhelming praise for Another Earth though.
 
Def. will see Harry Potter, Cowboys, Terrible Bosses, Winnie the Pooh, and Tree of Life when it gets bigger release here (it's at a small indie theater right now, but the screens and sound system aren't worth it). Maybe on Capt. Americuh
 

Zeliard

Member
I wonder if this is perhaps a decent time to marathon the Harry Potter films. Never seen any of them nor read any of the books.

Plus I've always really wanted to see what Alfonso Cuaron managed to do there.
 

Grimmy

Banned
BenjaminBirdie said:
Terri and Another Earth as Matinee?? Your judgment is almost as bad as your "&" coding. ;D

Those are the only two movies that matter this month. I made the same claim with Submarine last month and was naturally proven 100% right.

I completely agree. WTF with Another Earth and Terri and Devil's Double not in the Top Ten. All very good films.
 

Empty

Member
just harry potter from that list (winnie and attack the block already came out over here months ago), as even though the second half of the last book is my least favourite part of the series i want to see it through to the end.

then i'm ridiculously excited for the uk release of the tree of life this month; i became a fan of malick on dvd and this is the first time i'm seeing one of his films on the big screen.
 
Harry Potter for sure, maybe Horrible Bosses because i like charlie day and jason bateman.


also a huge thank you expandable for making these threads. was always looking forward to them as a lurker.
 

Plinko

Wildcard berths that can't beat teams without a winning record should have homefield advantage
jamallinthesame said:
steve carrell in a serious role? sign me up, day one.

"Dan in Real Life" was horrible.

Hopefully this one is better.

Oh, and Winnie the Pooh all the way this month. The bear is back.
 
Grimmy said:
I completely agree. WTF with Another Earth and Terri and Devil's Double not in the Top Ten. All very good films.

I heard Devil's Double was trash, but fun trash. It is actually very good?
 

Hari Seldon

Member
Nothing I want to see in that list, except the Tom Hanks flick but that is probably a rental.

Oh I will def see the Kunis movie when it comes out to rent also.
 

Kabouter

Member
Interested in:
The Guard - Gleeson and Cheadle are awesome actors, also love Hot Fuzz and In Bruges, if it's anything like either, should be great.
Horrible Bosses - Kevin Spacey doing comedy, that alone, sold.
Life in a Day - Seems like a great concept, can't wait.
Point Blank - Just looks cool, and it's been a good while since the last good action film that I've seen
 

overcast

Member
For Sure:
Harry Potter
Captain America

Maybe:
Horrible Bosses
Crazy, Stupid, Love

That may be it for the rest of summer. August looks very weak.
 

Grimmy

Banned
Expendable. said:
I heard Devil's Double was trash, but fun trash. It is actually very good?

Yes. I like it a lot. It's for sure a hell of a lot better than THE GUARD, which is utterly middling.
 

Chiggs

Gold Member
I think Cowboys and Aliens is going to flop. Whenever I see the preview, I always notice the complete lack of audience reaction.
 
Grimmy said:
Yes. I like it a lot. It's for sure a hell of a lot better than THE GUARD, which is utterly middling.

Ah I haven't seen it so I can't say, but I saw The Guard last night. It was inconsequential, but it was a fun ride with a smart script. It also could have been because I saw Transformers: Dark of the Moon right before.
 
Expendable. said:
So sad not a single person has mentioned Attack the Block :( It's easily the best summer "blockbuster" of the year.

This thread has me really intrigued. Quite a few movies I didn't have my eye on.
 

Zeliard

Member
Expendable. said:
So sad not a single person has mentioned Attack the Block :( It's easily the best summer "blockbuster" of the year.

I'm looking forward to watching all of these films at one point or another. Just not sure yet which ones I'll bother to see in an actual theater. :p
 

Hari Seldon

Member
Chiggs said:
I think Cowboys and Aliens is going to flop. Whenever I see the preview, I always notice the complete lack of audience reaction.

The premise is just so fucking stupid. The title might as well be "GENERIC HOLLYWOOD SUMMER MOVIE #9". The movie might be great but god damn who the fuck decided to call the movie Cowboys and Aliens?
 

Grimmy

Banned
Expendable. said:
Ah I haven't seen it so I can't say, but I saw The Guard last night. It was inconsequential, but it was a fun ride with a smart script. It also could have been because I saw Transformers: Dark of the Moon right before.

It's really not that smart. Some stereotypical black and irish jokes, but ultimately it's your usual cop buddy film between two unlikely partners.

The Devil's Double is just insane - and in a good way.
 
Expendable. said:
Ah I haven't seen it so I can't say, but I saw The Guard last night. It was inconsequential, but it was a fun ride with a smart script. It also could have been because I saw Transformers: Dark of the Moon right before.

I don't see how something "inconsequential" could rank higher than something like Terri or Another Earth that you just had tone problems with or whatever. But all this is subjective anyway.

Anyway, terrible list. ;D
 

evilhomer

Member
Never heard of The Guard but that sounds very promising, will have to check that out.

edit: Now I see you guys who have seen it dont sound overly excited about it...dang
 

Grimmy

Banned
And I just noticed that LIFE IN A DAY is #3. Are you serious???? It's like watching 90 minutes of youtube clips. I walked out after 40 min in Sundance.
 
Expendable. said:
So sad not a single person has mentioned Attack the Block :( It's easily the best summer "blockbuster" of the year.

i would go and see it if it would ever open here. bluray for me
 

Zeliard

Member
Whether or not Cowboys and Aliens is a success quality-wise will depend heavily on the tone. If they don't nail that then the movie could come out as messy and schizophrenic.

I'm actually looking forward to it more after seeing those vids with Jon Favreau interviewing Harrison Ford (which means those videos did their job as pieces of marketing). Harrison Ford, at least in that interview, seemed to be really engaged and that enthusiasm will hopefully have translated to the movie itself.
 
BenjaminBirdie said:
I don't see how something "inconsequential" could rank higher than something like Terri or Another Earth that you just had tone problems with or whatever. But all this is subjective anyway.

Anyway, terrible list. ;D

I haven't seen Another Earth yet, but it was more than just tone problems I had with Terri. A small sect of people might like it, but I'd rather recommend The Guard. While not as good as In Bruges, it is one of the few films that captures some of what I loved in that film.

Grimmy said:
And I just noticed that LIFE IN A DAY is #3. Are you serious???? It's like watching 90 minutes of youtube clips. I walked out after 40 min in Sundance.

Oh god, I adored that movie. It's much stronger than just "YouTube" clips strung together. That's funny though, I haven't heard a single negative thing about it yet. Almost every critic I've talked to loved it as well.
 

wenis

Registered for GAF on September 11, 2001.
I can't recommend Attack the Block enough to everyone. It's destined to be a sleeper hit along the lines of Shaun of the Dead, but seriously...GO SEE THE FUCKING MOVIE, ITS AMAZING.

As for the rest of it, I'll be seeing Captain America and Crazy, Stupid, Love.
 
evilhomer said:
Never heard of The Guard but that sounds very promising, will have to check that out.

edit: Now I see you guys who have seen it dont sound overly excited about it...dang

Don't let them get you down! I don't know if reviews make a difference to you, but it seems like they do:

 

Grimmy

Banned
Expendable. said:
Oh god, I adored that movie. It's much stronger than just "YouTube" clips strung together. That's funny though, I haven't heard a single negative thing about it yet. Almost every critic I've talked to loved it as well.

Bob Koehler and I talked about it, and he agrees. The problem is that the really good clips, like the
Japanese father and son and the woman with terminal disease
, would have been WAY more effective as just one long piece. But instead the film breaks these excellent bits into pieces and show them at intervals. Sorry, but those are the strongest parts of the film, and I'd rather just watch them on youtube where it'll be shown IN THEIR UNINTERRUPTED ENTIRETY. And the music is so overblown in LIFE IN A DAY. Ugh.
 

xbhaskarx

Member
Expendable. said:
So sad not a single person has mentioned Attack the Block :( It's easily the best summer "blockbuster" of the year.
wenis said:
I can't recommend Attack the Block enough to everyone. It's destined to be a sleeper hit along the lines of Shaun of the Dead, but seriously...GO SEE THE FUCKING MOVIE, ITS AMAZING.

This is the first I've ever heard of it, just watched the trailer and it looks really good, I will check it out.
 
Grimmy said:
Bob Koehler and I talked about it, and he agrees. The problem is that the really good clips, like the
Japanese father and son and the woman with terminal disease
, would have been WAY more effective as just one long piece. But instead the film breaks these excellent bits into pieces and show them at intervals. Sorry, but those are the strongest parts of the film, and I'd rather just watch them on youtube where it'll be shown IN THEIR UNINTERRUPTED ENTIRETY. And the music is so overblown in LIFE IN A DAY. Ugh.

Heh. We should start our own thread.
 
Grimmy said:
Bob Koehler and I talked about it, and he agrees. The problem is that the really good clips, like the
Japanese father and son and the woman with terminal disease
, would have been WAY more effective as just one long piece. But instead the film breaks these excellent bits into pieces and show them at intervals. Sorry, but those are the strongest parts of the film, and I'd rather just watch them on youtube where it'll be shown IN THEIR UNINTERRUPTED ENTIRETY. And the music is so overblown in LIFE IN A DAY. Ugh.

I loved how there were all those pieces. It gives a collective sense of the world's activity and I thought it was staggering the amount of excellent footage they were able to get in a single day. The possibilities of a film that did this for a week, month, or year was interesting to think about. I couldn't imagine watching an entire feature film about the
Japanese father and son and the woman with terminal disease
. I thought they had a perfect amount of each and although they weren't related, the simple structure of everything provided a powerful connection.
 
D

Deleted member 81567

Unconfirmed Member
Harry Potter and Captain America definitely.
 

evilhomer

Member
Expendable. said:
Don't let them get you down! I don't know if reviews make a difference to you, but it seems like they do:


Alright back on board :)

That and Attack the Block in the same weekend, fun times indeed!
 

Grimmy

Banned
Expendable. said:
I loved how there were all those pieces. It gives a collective sense of the world's activity and I thought it was staggering the amount of excellent footage they were able to get in a single day. The possibilities of a film that did this for a week, month, or year was interesting to think about. I couldn't imagine watching an entire feature film about the
Japanese father and son and the woman with terminal disease
. I thought they had a perfect amount of each and although they weren't related, the simple structure of everything provided a powerful connection.

Come on, the structure is as basic as it comes. Start and midnight, end at midnight, and find clips which kinda fit into the 24-hour time periods to create this sense of "life" within a day. Stuff like Baraka does this way, way better. And I'm not saying the whole film should be about those two examples - I'm saying that breaking them up into pieces is utterly arbitrary and makes these scenes much weaker than they would have been as a whole. If I were the filmmakers for those two I'd be upset.

BenjaminBirdie said:
Heh. We should start our own thread.

You start ;) I will never be able to do it consistently. Plus I travel too much. Next festivals: Paris Cinema then Locarno!
 

Tucah

you speak so well
HP7P2
Captain America
Cowboys and Aliens
Attack the Block
Horrible Bosses
Crazy, Stupid, Love (trailers are mediocre but I love the cast)

Pretty good month overall.
 

thetechkid

Member
Watching:
Harry Potter
Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest
Horrible Bosses

Maybe:
Attack The Block
Captain America
 
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