I saw many movies this summer, but only posted a few full reviews. While I will not be writing full reviews for all of those films, I will use this space to write short reviews detailing my general feelings on each and every film I saw this summer, in order of release. (I will not review Star Trek Into Darkness or The Great Gatsby here as I already reviewed both films in full.)
Iron Man 3
Iron Man 3 very nearly accomplishes the feat of topping the original. It only falls short of that film in a lack of "newness," as Robert Downey Jr.'s performance, the one trait on which these films' success is primarily based, does not have the same degree of surprise brilliance. It is no worse than in the other films, just not as evolved as one would hope. However, in all other regards, this is the best film of the series, the storyline is more original and surprising, the action more exciting, and the directing style more interesting. Iron Man 3 has successfully reinvigorated a franchise that was in danger of going stale. A-
Fast and Furious 6
First things first, Fast and Furious 6 is the first film of the franchise that I have seen. That said, I quite enjoyed the thrill ride. It's not a good film by any means, as the story is quite thin and the acting, Luke Evans and Dwane Johnson aside, is very bland. However, you don't see Fast and Furious for the acting, you see it for car crashes and exciting chases, and on that front Fast and Furious 6 delivers. Sure, the logic of the final action sequence will make your brain hurt if you think about it, but that doesn't change the fact that it's very imaginative and fun, if you're willing to make the sacrifice of intelligence. B
This is the End
This is the End is a very funny apocalypse comedy that achieves its humor largely through the mix of realism and fantasy. The actors all play exaggerated versions of themselves, creating a sense of self-parody that truly makes the film. Their roles seem to fit pretty well and the screenplay allows all of the leads some depth that adds a lot to this formula. The other great decision was to play the apocalypse straight, rather than making it silly. This serves to heighten the craziness of what is happening to the protagonists inside of James Franco's house while the world blows up outside. The sole downfall of the film is its reliance on sight gags that are more gross than funny, but that cannot take away from the creativity and intelligence involved in the writing and acting of this film. B+
Man of Steel
Man of Steel follows an interesting story, however it is one that is undone by the smaller details in the script. The dialogue and individual story beats unfortunately fail to find a satisfactory mix between the smaller moments of character development and the large scale action the film is going for. The flashbacks to Clark's upbringing are strong and tell a great story, but the action, while visually appealing, winds up feeling over the top, with an uncomfortable amount of destruction being caused, much of it by Superman himself. Although the film couldn't really decide what kind of movie it wanted to be, at least it is entertaining, which is more than Superman Returns, the character's last film, can claim. B-
Monsters University
When I first heard of this film, I was tempted to write it off as a lame, forced cash in sequel, with only the Pixar name keeping me from going that way. I am very glad that Pixar delivered, as Monsters University proves to be just as funny and heartfelt as Monsters Inc. was. The new cast of strong characters makes up for the disappearance of some beloved characters from the first film, and the storyline is quite strong, if containing a message that could be somewhat questionable. Overall a great animated film, even if it feels a little smaller than its predecessor. A-
World War Z
World War Z entirely ditches the story and concepts of the novel on which it is based. This proves to be a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing as it allows us to have a single main character to which the audience may become attached. The downside is that the zombie threat feels very over the top and generic, its creature design uninteresting and, at times, silly. It doesn't help that the film has a few edits made clearly to avoid getting an R-rating. The third act of the film is strong, but the first two are bland and generic, saved only by the strong performances. B
The Way, Way Back
Coming of age stories are a dime a dozen these days. The Way Way Back manages to successfully stand out from the crowd, though, thanks to its performances and screenplay. The film feels more real than others of the genre, thanks to its flawed, fleshed out characters that don't feel like archetypes. The performances across the board are excellent, with Steve Carell and Sam Rockwell proving to be standouts. Carell especially plays against type quite brilliantly. The mix of comedy and drama feels very genuine, helping this film to achieve a sense of greatness. A-
Pacific Rim
This is possibly my favorite film of the summer. Not the best film, a title its thinly characterized leads and weak dialogue hold it back from, but it easily wins in the fun department. The film puts you right back in fifth grade, giddy about seeing giant robots fighting giant monsters. The real strength of the film is its scale, it truly makes you believe that a 300 foot tall robot is fighting a 5,000 ton monster. This adds something to the action, especially a sequence taking place in an urban setting. A film that knows the meaning of the word "fun" more than any other, Pacific Rim is a film I can wholeheartedly recommend to the kid in everyone. A-
The Conjuring
The Conjuring puts itself ahead of other horror films largely through its acting. The performers all commit fully to their roles and deliver strongly. Vera Farmiga especially gets inside the head of her character, creating a fascinating dynamic and great chemistry with Patrick Wilson, who plays her husband. The story is fairly standard supernatural horror stuff, made better through strong direction. The film takes a while to really get going, but James Wan has a lot of experience with the genre and manages to build suspense and tension throughout, creating a frightening and exciting second half. The film is especially strong in its subtlety. Giving the viewer only brief glimpses at the horror and letting imagination take the rest, avoiding the mistakes that the end of the first Insidious film made. B+
Elysium
Elysium unfortunately fails to live up to Neill Blomkamp's previous film District 9, which wouldn't be as big of a deal if it weren't so similar. Both are grounded Science-fiction films that mix action with social commentary. Elysium, however, falls short in the commentary department, as it is more heavy handed in its message, and thus more jarring in the moments when it suddenly ignores that for action. It's as though Neill Blomkamp the writer is most interested social commentary, while Neill Blomkamp the director is far more interested in blowing people up. The action is very exciting and entertaining, though, making it very successful on that front. B+
Lee Daniels' The Butler
Lee Daniels' The Butler tells a fascinating story, it's a shame that the filmmaking is not up to the standard to tell it. From the getgo there are many questionable decisions, not the least bit with the casting. Casting Mariah Carey as Cecil Gaines' mother is the first sign of this, and it continues right through to some of the strangest Presidential casting of all time. Many actors like Oprah Winfrey and James Marsden try their hardest, and turn in serviceable performances, while others like John Cusack and Robin Williams just reek of stunt casting. Forest Whitaker is the only performer who truly succeeds, due to his commitment to the character and natural subtle charisma. The weak dialogue doesn't help matters, making The Butler a very serviceable film if you're a history buff, but it's a story that deserved much better. C+
The World's End
Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz are both multifaceted films whose excellence lies in their ability to function as a spoof of their genre AND as a good film in the genre being spoofed. The World's End's only disappointment is that it only covers one of those duties, functioning as a great sci-fi comedy without truly spoofing the genre. If you are aware of this going in, though, then you should enjoy it greatly. The World's End isn't as laugh-out-loud funny as Director Edgar Wright's previous efforts, but it's a much more mature film. The story deals with character arcs in a more unique way, brought to life brilliantly by Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, both delivering career best performances. The action is splendidly staged as well, even if the violence has a bit less oomph than in Edgar Wright's previous films. His high-energy directing style is back in full force though, creating an exciting and funny experience. A-
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