Summer Movie Round Up

In theory I could practise writing on my blog, but I could never figure out what to write about anyway. My life? Hah! Not enough happens anyways; and if something did, I'm not the kind of person who would reveal it anytime soon. I have been trying to watch some of the movies this summer, so perhaps I could do a quick little summer movie round up. Let's start with the much anticipated Star Wars movie.

• Star Wars: Episode III - MAJOR disappointment. Okay, first I will say that obectively this movies was much better that # 1 and 2. However, this movie also, as far as I'm concerned, needed to be awe inspiring. It wasn't. Let me put it this way: the original movies, episodes 4, 5, and 6, cast a legendary status onto the Jedi, and to Darth Vader. Did they live up to their legendary status in the new episodes 1-3? Nope. The Jedi were a bunch of shmoes who were mercilessly put down by, of all people, stormtroopers? And Vader turned out to be a whiny crybaby who didn't really accomplish much that's worth mentioning. So he slaughtered countless Jedi trainees, whoop-dee-do. I guess this proves that I'm actually a hardcore star wars fan, since most of the hardcore fans seem to feel the same way I do. Next!
  
• Kicking and Screaming - Was actually not that bad. Pretty good in fact. Although I don't really remember it that well now, so it must not have been that good. Next!
• Cinderella Man - It had one of the sappiest looking trailers I've ever seen, so I wasn't inclined to see it. But some people I knew highly recommended it. It was actually very good. Not really a boxing movie. More of a biopic period piece (the Great Depression) that happens to be about a boxer. Seriously, more people should have seen it, it's sad when everybody I've talked to either a) thought it was great or b) didn't see it. I would recommend it.
• Batman Begins - Okay when I said I recommend Cinderella Man, I will say that it does appeal more to women that men (ironically, since it does have a lot of boxing in it). For the guys, this movie is awesome. To be honest, I always thought the Batman movies, and most of the other comic book movies, had this silly cartoonish feel to it. Often, especially in the Batman movies, the villians tend to overshadow Batman himself. Not so in this movie. Batman is awesome, the villains are villanous - and also realistic, and the plot is complex and sophisticated. The movie, which is a prequel, blends into the first batman movie seemlessly. Highly recommended.
• The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D - Crap. Avoid like the plague. I would elaborate, but trust me, this movie is not worth elaborating on.
• Mr. & Mrs. Smith - Perhaps it is unfortunate that I saw this movie just after seeing The Bourne Supremacy on DVD. The chemistry between Jolie and Pitt is very good and the only thing going for the movie, because the whole spy aspect of the movie was utterly perposterous. The ending of Mr. & Mrs. was completely unrealistic. The end should have been more like the movie Bonnie and Clyde, but no, they had to make a hollywood ending. Whatever. Overall Mr. & Mrs. Smith was above average. But go see The Bourne Supremacy or even The Bourne Identity instead, they are much better. (In case you hadn't noticed, I do value plausibility in movies quite a bit.) Next!
• Bewitched - I didn't like it. It started out okay, but the second half of the movie was like watching paint dry. Something was missing. No chemistry at all. Maybe Ferrill and Kidman didn't like each other. Next!
  
• War of the Worlds - I thought the movie was fairly good, but not overwhelmingly great. I don't know, the most interesting parts were the character study of Tom Cruise's character, and the ending (which I didn't know about because I wasn't familiar with the story). Did anybody notice that there really wasn't any plot? In any case, suspense thrillers/horror movies are not my shtick, so I didn't get as much out of the movie as some other people may. Still, I do think it was above average and worth seeing (once at least).
• Rebound - Somebody invited me to see it, and since I had no life I had to accept. Then I asked, "Okay seriously, do you really want to see Rebound?" "No, not really" "Then why don't we just go home." Perhaps you would be wise to do the same...
• The Fantastic Four - I thought the movie was fine. It had some funny bits in the middle of the movie, and, Jessica Alba is in it, so come on! Still I thought the movie did lack that extra substance over, say Batman, so I would grade the movie about average. For those Jessica Alba lovers, watch Sin City instead - much better movie. Okay maybe you shouldn't if you have a faint heart; the violence in Sin City is pretty extreme.
  
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Some people criticize the decision to remake various movies (ie Psycho), but it really just depends on how well they do it. In my general experience, Tim Burton directs interesting, unique movies, and Johnny Depp is almost always in good movies (except perhaps Crybaby, but even that movie had a cult-esque charm to it). Here they made Charlie and the Chocolate Factory both different enough from the original to stand alone, yet still make it of good quality. It has a certain psychadelic atmosphere that may not appeal to everyone, but overall I thought the movie was quite good.
  
• Wedding Crashers - Now this movie was hilariously funny. Some critics were critical of the sappy love story between McAdams' character and Wilson's character, but I think they need to get a life. I thought the movie struck a fine balance between hilarious slapstick comedy with a fine dose of romantic comedy. The chemistry between Owen Wilson and Vince Vaugh was a strong driving force in this film. I recommend it.
• Bad News Bears - Although this movie seemed a little grungey, dated even, I like it overall. Seriously, does anyone remember a movie that Billy Bob Thornton did a poor job acting in? Speaking of which, I think I have a copy of Bad Santa on DVD somewhere around here...
• Must Love Dogs - Saw it. Liked it. Beware, there really isn't any plot. But I liked seeing John Cusack do his obsessive intense psychoanalytical shpiel. Diane Lane was good too. Fine, I saw a chick flick and liked it so sue me. And no it's not a double standard that I criticize War of the Worlds for not having a plot, yet overlook Must Love Dogs' lack of a plot. It's not. Leave me alone.
  
• Sky High - I'm embarrassed to admit that I kinda liked the movie. It looked like the stupidest movie ever conceived of when I saw the trailer, but it turned out to be not that bad. Perhaps my super low expectations caused me to like it, but it was actually pretty funny in bits. It is basically a 'teen angst' movie with a superhero angle to it, so do temper your expectations if you do choose to see it.
• Garden State - Okay, not really a movie that came out this summer, but I did see it on DVD the other day. Probably the best movie I saw this summer. It was so complex and subtle, I don't even think I truly understood it, but somehow the movie just seeps into your subconscious. It just felt right. It's hard to explain. I highly recommend seeing it (probably multiple times).

Okay, that's enough movie writing for today! Time for me to retire.

Some movie related rumors: Four Brothers is supposedly very good. The 40 Year Old Virgin is supposedly very good. Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolow was supposedly extremely bad.