While I haven’t seen every film that came out this summer, I have seen a good amount of them. There were some films that I have been waiting months to see while others were just spur the moment trips to the theater. I also have to admit that there are some films out in theaters that I still want to see but have not brought myself to go to the theater to see. Now that I have seen a decent amount this summer, I am compiling a list of those films I found to be the best and those that just didn’t meet expectations.
The best of the summer:
You will notice that four of the five films in the best category are more of ensemble pieces than films with a few major stars, which may be the reason I like them so much.
The Help – Best film of the summer? Absolutely! Best film of the year so far? It sure as hell stands a good chance. The actors in this film work amazingly well together and no one actors shines brighter than any of the others. The plot is wonderful and the set and costume design are just as great.
Bridesmaids – Everyone wanted to say this is the female Hangover, but it turned out to be the best comedy of the summer. The cast is hilarious! The jokes are fresh and unexpected. The dress choosing scene is one of the funniest scenes ever. Melissa McCarthy shines and deserves leading comedic roles.
Crazy, Stupid, Love – If anyone would have told me I would like a Steve Carell film where he plays a mostly serious character, I would have laughed in their faces. It turned out that I loved this film and adored the cast. Emma Stone is wonderful as ever and Analeigh Tipton is surprisingly a great actress! There is romance, sex, humor, drama, some slight horror; it is truly a film for anyone and everyone.
Horrible Bosses – Jennifer Aniston is sexy?!?! Okay, so everyone already knew this, but as a sex crazed dentist, she is great. The humor is original and the storyline is great. It is obvious that everyone loved making this film and it makes it that much more fun to watch.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 – The last Harry Potter film of the series was definitely worth waiting for. While I still don’t think it is my favorite film in the series (Prisoner of Azkaban still holds that title), I loved how well the plot went with the book and how the actors actually felt like actors and not children. This is very much an action film and it is one hell of an adventure ride from start to finish.
Those that got lost in the shuffle:
When I look back at the films I saw this summer, there are some that stand out for being really good and ones that stand out for being really bad. The rest seem to get stuck in the middle where I don’t really remember them very much. With that said, I did enjoy these movies but they did have their faults and were as striking as the rest.
Fast Five – Okay, so this came out at the end of April, but it was good enough to be added to my summer list. It is hard to remember exactly what this movie was about, but I do remember the cast was great and the action was better. One of the best films of the series.
Friends with Benefits – The biggest disappointment of this film was that it didn’t come out before No Strings Attached. If it had come out before it’s raunchier twin, it would have been much bigger at the box office. With that said, this film is much better than the other film. It is more realistic and the acting is really good. Mila Kunis and JT are both splendid as friends with benefits who end up developing real feelings for each other. The New York setting is great and shows how fast paced life can be at times.
X-Men: First Class – I loved the 1960’s setting of this film. It felt like the perfect change for the series. The plot was good and kept me entertained from start to finish. I wasn’t a big fan of some of the low grade special effects and January Jones was awful as Emma Frost. Overall, it was a fun ride but did have some bumps in the road.
Something Borrowed – The cast is perfect on paper but the acting is forced at times and Kate Hudson’s acting is so awkward that it is hard to believe she would be friends with any of the people in this film. Ginnifer Goodwin and John Krasinski have great chemistry at best friends who are real with each other. There are some really nice moments in the film but sadly those are the ones without Kate in it.
The Change-Up – The raunchy alter ego of Freaky Friday, The Change-Up is fun and crude. The acting is subpar and the humor is more awkward than funny at times, but Leslie Mann and Olivia Wilde shine as the leading ladies of the film. There are some lines in the film that could offend people, but if you look beyond that, you can see that it is just a fun movie to see with friends.
The Worst of the summer:
The Hangover Part II – Okay, this is definitely the best of the worst. It is still a hilarious film with a fun cast of characters. The problem comes in that the plot is the exact same with just a change in location. Ken Jeong and Zach Galifianakis overact their parts and every scene with them feels forced and uncomfortable. Overall, this was a letdown compared to the original film and needed a better plot to carry on The Hangover series.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon – This film is better than the last one, but that isn’t saying much. The post apocalyptic, war of the worlds feel just isn’t fresh and new. It is overdone and really unbelievable that one man can change the course of everything. The acting is mediocre as always. The one saving grace of this film is that the special effects are really good.
Green Lantern – And the worst film of the summer is definitely going to have you seeing green…yes, you will be upset that you wasted all your green to see this film. Ryan Reynolds is a great actor with amazing comedic talent but he gets lost in the lack of plot. The other major issue is that the film is almost entirely CGI. Nothing is real! Not even the abs in the suit are real! Blake Lively is okay, but she is definitely more fun and likeable as a blonde. This was the film I was most excited to see this summer and had been waiting years for it to be made and now I wish they would have waited a few more years to get it right.
Those I still want to see:
Thor – I am a sucker for superhero films and have heard good things about it.
Super 8 – I wasn’t sure what it was about until just recently and I find myself intrigued to see it now.
Bad Teacher – I haven’t been the biggest Cameron Diaz fan recently but have heard good things, so it will probably be on my rent list.
Monte Carlo – Selena Gomez and Leighton Meester, enough said!
Winnie the Pooh – I am a sucker for an old fashion cartoon with a new story.
Captain America: The First Avenger – Not sure why I haven’t seen this yet, but I will probably go to the theaters soon to see it.
Those I do not care to see:
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – The series ended one a relatively decent note, why bring it back?!?! I am over Captain Jack.
Kung Fu Panda 2 – Wasn’t a fan of the first one and this one looked exactly like the first one in the previews.
Cars 2 – Sorry Pixar, this was the last sequel I wanted to see. Why not Monsters, Inc. 2?!?! Or A Bugs Life 2?!?! This was just driven on the fact that merchandising for this is too good to pass up.
Zookeeper – Kevin James is apparently in need of a new agent if they are putting him in lame films like this…
The Smurfs – I had hope that this would be good but when the trailers look awful, that is not a good sign. Not even Neil Patrick Harris and a free ticket could get me to the theaters to see this.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes – Wasn’t a fan of Planet of the Apes, so why would I care how it started? James Franco is in it?! Still not good enough.
