The Avengers
I will start on a controversial note by saying I do not believe this movie was a good as everyone says it was. That being said, it was a very good movie.
In theory making an Avengers movie sounds pretty easy. Just make a bunch of solo films, then throw them in a blender like its no big deal. But when you take a step back and look at what Marvel was able to accomplish, it is truly astounding. Just imagine what would have happened if one or more of these films had failed at the box office or with critics. Their whole house of cards would have come crashing down. If one of these actors hadn't met the fans expectations of how the character should be portrayed or if one of the director's had failed to do the Marvel world justice, who knows how this could have turned out.
Instead, we got an amazing rollicking popcorn flick that threw the summer into high gear and made us wonder how DC could possibly ever pull off a Justice League movie as well as Marvel did The Avengers. There are a lot of factors that went into the successful culmination of five films, but who knew the most successful and heart wrenching piece of the puzzle was Clark Gregg. This guy took a small, seemingly insignificant role and filled it with charm and charisma that quickly turned Agent Coulson into a fan favorite. (SPOILER) His death was one the most emotional experiences I have had watching a film since I thought the little girl got shot in Crash. Joss Whedon's ability to use his death to not just as a gimmick but as a plot device push the characters towards the film's climax was one of the most brilliant pieces of storytelling I have ever seen (END SPOILER). Overall a stunning achievement.
In theory making an Avengers movie sounds pretty easy. Just make a bunch of solo films, then throw them in a blender like its no big deal. But when you take a step back and look at what Marvel was able to accomplish, it is truly astounding. Just imagine what would have happened if one or more of these films had failed at the box office or with critics. Their whole house of cards would have come crashing down. If one of these actors hadn't met the fans expectations of how the character should be portrayed or if one of the director's had failed to do the Marvel world justice, who knows how this could have turned out.
Instead, we got an amazing rollicking popcorn flick that threw the summer into high gear and made us wonder how DC could possibly ever pull off a Justice League movie as well as Marvel did The Avengers. There are a lot of factors that went into the successful culmination of five films, but who knew the most successful and heart wrenching piece of the puzzle was Clark Gregg. This guy took a small, seemingly insignificant role and filled it with charm and charisma that quickly turned Agent Coulson into a fan favorite. (SPOILER) His death was one the most emotional experiences I have had watching a film since I thought the little girl got shot in Crash. Joss Whedon's ability to use his death to not just as a gimmick but as a plot device push the characters towards the film's climax was one of the most brilliant pieces of storytelling I have ever seen (END SPOILER). Overall a stunning achievement.
Impressed or Unimpressed: IMPRESSED
Moonrise Kingdom
You can take all the superhero movies and big blockbusters you want, this was the movie I was most excited for during the summer of 2012. We get new superhero movies every year and people like Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell are putting close to two movies a year. Wes Anderson, though, takes about three years between films. He takes a lot of time compiling his cast, perfecting his script and
picking the right music for his films. What made me even more eager for this film was the fact that it was his first live action film since 2007. It was also his first film to primarily focus on the adventures of children and be set in a time other than the present.
That being said, the fear with any film maker like Anderson is that they become too self-aware of their own style and rely to heavily on those tropes, sacrificing storytelling in the process. However, Anderson delivered again, telling a superb coming of age tale where the kids act like adults, and adults act like kids. Everything falls into place and the care Anderson takes in his film shines through. He is able to capture the confusion of being a kid during a time when the only thing you seem to want is to find a kindred spirit who understands what you're going through.
Impressed or Unimpressed: Impressed
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
This movie seemed very promising. The unlikely pairing of two likable actors (Steve Carrell and Keira Knightley) in an offbeat premise (trying to find the one that got away before the world ends) sounds like a movie that would be right up my alley. Until, that is, it gets completely mucked up.
In fairness, it was never very clear how exactly the events of this film were going to play out. The trailers gave the basic details as I have laid them out above, but what it didn't give you was the sense that this movie was made up as it went along. No, that only came across when I actually sat down to sit through it.
I went and saw this movie with my sister and couldn't believe it was only a 90 minute film. This thing dragged like no another and I thought for sure we were there for well over two hours. The main flaw with this movie is that it couldn't seem to decide on the tone. Was it a dark comedy? A light comedy? A romantic-comedy? Or, just a movie that spends the first 30 minutes making the audience share in Steve Carrell's misery? There are funny parts but not enough to salvage the poor decisions made with the plot.
Impressed or Unimpressed: Thoroughly UNIMPRESSED
That's My Boy
This is the most embarrassing film on my list, so I feel I should explain why it is on here at all. My dad and I usually pick one or two movies each summer to go and see together. It's some solid father-son bonding, but it usually boils down to seeing two types on film. One action picture and one comedy. We've seen Wedding Crashers, The Hangover, and the A-Team to name a few. He also raised me on Adam Sandler comedies like Happy Gilmore and Big Daddy (thankfully we didn't spend too much time with Billy Madison). So when this film rolled around with none other than Andy Samberg playing his son, I was thinking this would be a slam dunk. Plus, the premise didn't sound half bad especially if Sandler could keep the story grounded.
Another thing I should mention is that I have pretty much given up on movie reviews. I like reading how many stars or what grade a film has earned, but I don't really get into the details of how the critics came to their verdicts. I really believe people should form their own opinions about films and they should trust the opinions of respected entertainment critics, not aggregator websites.
So when I saw Sandler had decided to do the entire movie in a funny voice and the reviews were miserable, I was undeterred. I could care less about Sandler, but I really want Sandberg to become a movie star. After seeing this movie, he has some work to do. Not that the failure of this film can be placed on Sandberg. No, that blame pretty much belongs to Sandler and his brand of comedy, which overtakes this film and suffocates any sophistication that might be trying to survive.
That isn't to say this movie doesn't have funny parts, but those are few and far between. Although, I will give credit to Vanilla Ice for a solid performance. He does the best with what's given to him.
Impressed or Unimpressed: UNIMPRESSED with the film, super IMPRESSED with Vanilla Ice
Men in Black III (3?)
This was another film that seemed to have all the pieces to make a pretty good summer film. Recognizable franchise returning from a decent hiatus in theaters? Check. Big-name star who's been absent from the big screen for a few years? Check. Strong supporting cast? Check.
I mean you had the original stars that made the franchise great, plus Josh Brolin as a young Tommy Lee Jones. Not to mention Jermaine Clement as the villain and Bill Hader as Andy Warhol. What could go wrong?
Time travel. Rule of thumb, time-travel ruins everything. See examples: Harry Potter, Heroes, and others that I am sure exist. The first ten minutes of the film are incredibly promising. A lunar jail break that perfectly matches the tones of the first film, gets things off to a good start, but its all downhill from there.
Impressed or Unimpressed: UNIMPRESSED
The Amazing Spider-man
I know many people were skeptical of rebooting Spider-man so soon after the Sam Raimi trilogy ended, but I was not one of them. While I liked the first two films of Raimi's take (I will continue to ignore the existence of the third film) there were certain beats that he got plain wrong that could be amended with a fresh start. The other thing to consider was that Raimi's Spider-man was only the second modern superhero film after X-Men. The superhero film has evolved a great deal since them, so a second go around could do Spidey some good. Namely having anyone other than Tobey Maguire in the title role.
However, to steal from a recent AVClub review of Total Recall, the film still needed to justify it's existence. What I mean by that is, what Marc Webb needed to do was bring something new to the character, and while he did that in bits in pieces, that's all he did. It was as if there were two check lists he had: one that marked off all the important points of Spidey mythology, and a second that marked off all the ways his film would be would be different. The problem with that is those changes are obvious to the naked eye, but he needed to make the entire film feel different, and I just don't think the movie succeeded at doing that.
Impressed or Unimpressed: UNIMPRESSED
The Dark Knight Rises
I want to keep what I say about this film brief, because I think we can all agree it is good. I would argue The Dark Knight is the best film of the trilogy, but that in no way is meant to lessen the greatness of this film. Where Nolan should really be applauded is the number of characters he is able to juggle effectively. There is a lot going on in this film and Nolan is able to accomplish it without sacrificing the pacing of the film.
The film is the conclusion I would argue most audiences did not realize the series was building towards. While it is sad to see these films come to an end, it is nice to be able to say goodbye. The thing I realized Nolan had done was create a vulnerable superhero in a realistic setting. Take for instance the one unfortunate thing about this film, which was that its climax mirrored the climax of the other big superhero film of the summer. The difference was that (SPOILER) I never for a second doubted Tony Stark was going to fall back to earth and live to tell the tale. On the other hand, when Bruce Wayne made off with that makeshift bomb, I believed Nolan would have the balls to kill him off if he wanted to (END SPOILER).
What Nolan accomplished was creating a superhero film where the superhero had a very real chance of losing, and that in turn kept the audience on the edge of their seats until the very end.
Impressed or Unimpressed: IMPRESSED
What I've Missed
There are three films missing from this list that I would have liked to see, but simply have not had the chance to yet: Ted, The Watch and Safety Not Guaranteed. I've heard nothing but good things about Ted, and despite negative reviews, I want to make up my own mind about The Watch. I left Prometheus off the list because I'm really not that interested in seeing it (although I'm sure I will eventually).
What's to come
August is ripe for potential. As it sits now I have more movies in the loss column than the win column and I want this summer to be a winner. So I look forward to Nitro Circus 3-D, Expendables 2, The Bourne Legacy, and Premium Rush.
What are your favorite films of the summer?
That being said, the fear with any film maker like Anderson is that they become too self-aware of their own style and rely to heavily on those tropes, sacrificing storytelling in the process. However, Anderson delivered again, telling a superb coming of age tale where the kids act like adults, and adults act like kids. Everything falls into place and the care Anderson takes in his film shines through. He is able to capture the confusion of being a kid during a time when the only thing you seem to want is to find a kindred spirit who understands what you're going through.
Impressed or Unimpressed: Impressed
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
This movie seemed very promising. The unlikely pairing of two likable actors (Steve Carrell and Keira Knightley) in an offbeat premise (trying to find the one that got away before the world ends) sounds like a movie that would be right up my alley. Until, that is, it gets completely mucked up.
In fairness, it was never very clear how exactly the events of this film were going to play out. The trailers gave the basic details as I have laid them out above, but what it didn't give you was the sense that this movie was made up as it went along. No, that only came across when I actually sat down to sit through it.
I went and saw this movie with my sister and couldn't believe it was only a 90 minute film. This thing dragged like no another and I thought for sure we were there for well over two hours. The main flaw with this movie is that it couldn't seem to decide on the tone. Was it a dark comedy? A light comedy? A romantic-comedy? Or, just a movie that spends the first 30 minutes making the audience share in Steve Carrell's misery? There are funny parts but not enough to salvage the poor decisions made with the plot.
Impressed or Unimpressed: Thoroughly UNIMPRESSED
That's My Boy
This is the most embarrassing film on my list, so I feel I should explain why it is on here at all. My dad and I usually pick one or two movies each summer to go and see together. It's some solid father-son bonding, but it usually boils down to seeing two types on film. One action picture and one comedy. We've seen Wedding Crashers, The Hangover, and the A-Team to name a few. He also raised me on Adam Sandler comedies like Happy Gilmore and Big Daddy (thankfully we didn't spend too much time with Billy Madison). So when this film rolled around with none other than Andy Samberg playing his son, I was thinking this would be a slam dunk. Plus, the premise didn't sound half bad especially if Sandler could keep the story grounded.
Another thing I should mention is that I have pretty much given up on movie reviews. I like reading how many stars or what grade a film has earned, but I don't really get into the details of how the critics came to their verdicts. I really believe people should form their own opinions about films and they should trust the opinions of respected entertainment critics, not aggregator websites.
So when I saw Sandler had decided to do the entire movie in a funny voice and the reviews were miserable, I was undeterred. I could care less about Sandler, but I really want Sandberg to become a movie star. After seeing this movie, he has some work to do. Not that the failure of this film can be placed on Sandberg. No, that blame pretty much belongs to Sandler and his brand of comedy, which overtakes this film and suffocates any sophistication that might be trying to survive.
That isn't to say this movie doesn't have funny parts, but those are few and far between. Although, I will give credit to Vanilla Ice for a solid performance. He does the best with what's given to him.
Impressed or Unimpressed: UNIMPRESSED with the film, super IMPRESSED with Vanilla Ice
Men in Black III (3?)
This was another film that seemed to have all the pieces to make a pretty good summer film. Recognizable franchise returning from a decent hiatus in theaters? Check. Big-name star who's been absent from the big screen for a few years? Check. Strong supporting cast? Check.
I mean you had the original stars that made the franchise great, plus Josh Brolin as a young Tommy Lee Jones. Not to mention Jermaine Clement as the villain and Bill Hader as Andy Warhol. What could go wrong?
Time travel. Rule of thumb, time-travel ruins everything. See examples: Harry Potter, Heroes, and others that I am sure exist. The first ten minutes of the film are incredibly promising. A lunar jail break that perfectly matches the tones of the first film, gets things off to a good start, but its all downhill from there.
Impressed or Unimpressed: UNIMPRESSED
The Amazing Spider-man
I know many people were skeptical of rebooting Spider-man so soon after the Sam Raimi trilogy ended, but I was not one of them. While I liked the first two films of Raimi's take (I will continue to ignore the existence of the third film) there were certain beats that he got plain wrong that could be amended with a fresh start. The other thing to consider was that Raimi's Spider-man was only the second modern superhero film after X-Men. The superhero film has evolved a great deal since them, so a second go around could do Spidey some good. Namely having anyone other than Tobey Maguire in the title role.
However, to steal from a recent AVClub review of Total Recall, the film still needed to justify it's existence. What I mean by that is, what Marc Webb needed to do was bring something new to the character, and while he did that in bits in pieces, that's all he did. It was as if there were two check lists he had: one that marked off all the important points of Spidey mythology, and a second that marked off all the ways his film would be would be different. The problem with that is those changes are obvious to the naked eye, but he needed to make the entire film feel different, and I just don't think the movie succeeded at doing that.
Impressed or Unimpressed: UNIMPRESSED
The Dark Knight Rises
I want to keep what I say about this film brief, because I think we can all agree it is good. I would argue The Dark Knight is the best film of the trilogy, but that in no way is meant to lessen the greatness of this film. Where Nolan should really be applauded is the number of characters he is able to juggle effectively. There is a lot going on in this film and Nolan is able to accomplish it without sacrificing the pacing of the film.
The film is the conclusion I would argue most audiences did not realize the series was building towards. While it is sad to see these films come to an end, it is nice to be able to say goodbye. The thing I realized Nolan had done was create a vulnerable superhero in a realistic setting. Take for instance the one unfortunate thing about this film, which was that its climax mirrored the climax of the other big superhero film of the summer. The difference was that (SPOILER) I never for a second doubted Tony Stark was going to fall back to earth and live to tell the tale. On the other hand, when Bruce Wayne made off with that makeshift bomb, I believed Nolan would have the balls to kill him off if he wanted to (END SPOILER).
What Nolan accomplished was creating a superhero film where the superhero had a very real chance of losing, and that in turn kept the audience on the edge of their seats until the very end.
Impressed or Unimpressed: IMPRESSED
What I've Missed
There are three films missing from this list that I would have liked to see, but simply have not had the chance to yet: Ted, The Watch and Safety Not Guaranteed. I've heard nothing but good things about Ted, and despite negative reviews, I want to make up my own mind about The Watch. I left Prometheus off the list because I'm really not that interested in seeing it (although I'm sure I will eventually).
What's to come
August is ripe for potential. As it sits now I have more movies in the loss column than the win column and I want this summer to be a winner. So I look forward to Nitro Circus 3-D, Expendables 2, The Bourne Legacy, and Premium Rush.
What are your favorite films of the summer?
No comments:
Post a Comment