Lots of big movies dropped this summer, but you need not worry if you missed a few. Here is the Clarion’s analysis of all the movies that our A&E editor saw while enjoying the months off from school.
“Wanted” If you can get past the concept of a medieval group of weavers deciding to kill people based on what a piece of cloth is telling them to do, this action flick starring Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy is a sexy and stylish way to kill two hours.
“Wall-E” Disney and Pixar’s latest film is easily among their finest. Following the adventures of a diminutive trash collecting robot, the film’s robotic main characters manage to convey the full range of human emotion in a meaningful way, despite none of the them speaking English or having faces.
“Get Smart” This remake of the spy sitcom from the 1960s stayed true to its source material as well as introducing hilarious new content. Steve Carell continues to prove that he is a world-class comedic actor.
“Hancock” It starts as an interesting character piece about an antisocial superhero with a mysterious past and a drinking problem. Even as the writers find themselves in a corner and revert to a standard action formula, Will Smith’s raw charisma carries the film through to the end, and costars Jason Bateman and Charlize Theron do well as with what they are given to work with.
“The Dark Knight” Easily the best movie of the summer. A brilliant performance by the late Heath Ledger as the Joker is already spurring rumors of a posthumous Oscar nomination. “The Dark Knight” proves that sequels do not have to suck.
“Star Wars: The Clone Wars” This is a children’s movie. You may be confused by the opening scene, which features a clone trooper’s head exploding, but rest assured, it is for kids. While this latest entry into the Star Wars franchise has the distinct advantage of not having been written or directed by George Lucas, it is little more than an intro to the Clone Wars TV series set to air sometime in the near future. Die-hard Star Wars fans may find something to love.
“Pineapple Express” Billed as the world’s first stoner-action flick, writers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg have produced yet another brilliant comedy about dudes who smoke pot and have adventures. The action elements are also pretty well done, and the positive message about staying true to your friends makes up for the somewhat negative message that your life will be filled with awesome hijinks if you drop out of school and smoke a lot of pot.
“Death Race” Jason Statham plays an ex-race car driver framed for murder and forced to compete in a deadly car race to win his freedom. Violence and explosions manage to stretch this out for two hours, which is a feat in and of itself. Not a great film, but not terrible either.
“Tropic Thunder” With a superstar cast and absurd concept, “Tropic Thunder” is reminiscent of the comedy blockbusters of the 1990’s in all the best ways. Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., and Jack Black are all brilliant in their portrayal of clueless actors lost in the jungle, and surprise cameos from Matthew McConaughey and Tom Cruise really pull this satire together.
“The Incredible Hulk” Edward Norton single-handedly revived this franchise with an amazing performance as the scientist-turned-superpowered monster Bruce Banner. Despite the film’s good reception from both critics and audiences, a sequel is not on the horizon, meaning that moviegoers will likely have to wait for the Avengers movie to see the big green brute on the big screen again.
“Hamlet 2” This movie follows the story of a failing high school drama teacher making one last desperate grab at stardom. It features musical numbers about face rape and how Jesus has a sexy slim swimmer’s body. It also happens to be hilarious in a delightfully raunchy way. Definitely not a movie that everyone will enjoy. For example, if you hate really funny movies, then you should sit this one out.
“Stepbrothers” Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly team up again to portray 40-year-old stepbrothers in a movie that could have been brilliant, but only ended up being occasionally funny. Save your money and see “Pineapple Express” or “Tropic Thunder.”
