Well, we’ve made it through the summer, and with every summer comes movies that can’t be missed. From the marvelous highs of “Jurassic World” and “Mad Max: Fury Road,” to the rocky lows of “Pixels” and “Fantastic Four,” film reviewers had a lot to talk about with summer blockbusters. With many more films on the way, here’s a look back at the first half of the year.
The first film that needs to be discussed is “Jurassic World.” This film held the top spot of the box-office for three weeks. “Jurassic World” received critical and popular praise and although I do not think it held up to the original film (not a comment on how bad this film was, but on how perfect the original is), I do think it was a great movie that deserved all its accolades.
Another film that received both critical praise and commercial audiences this summer was “Ant-Man.” Not much was expected of this film when it was announced. I, for one, thought this would be the film with which Marvel finally did not have a winner. I was wrong. Marvel hit it out of the park with this one, and showed us yet again that they know how to make a superhero movie. The main problem I had with this film is that I’m personally getting a bit bored with superhero movies. The market is oversaturated — at this point, there are two or three films per year about superheroes, even if the films are vastly differ from each other.
“Mad Max: Fury Road” was also one of the top films of the summer, and although not as commercially successful as the ones listed prior, I believe this was the best film released this summer. The many explosions and car chases mask the surprisingly deep but simple story, and the film plays well for audiences of all maturity levels. This film is essentially a two-hour long chase scene with a lot of emotion and very few words packed inside.
And going from what was arguably the best movie this summer to the worst, I now turn my attention to “Pixels.” The new Adam Sandler vehicle did receive poor reviews among critics, although that is not very surprising, considering most everyone has all but given up on Adam Sandler since the release of “Jack and Jill.” However, the film has recouped its budget, so it’s safe to expect many more films in the same vein to surface.
Now, who could forget about “Fantastic Four”? This film plays into my earlier apprehension about the overabundance of superhero films. This foray into a classic comic book group felt quickly thrown together, and the reviewers of the film agree with me. With many problems within the plot, “Fantastic Four” was made entirely so Fox could keep the characters from being bought by other studios, such as Marvel. The one facet of the movie I wasn’t entirely bored or angered by was the acting. Kate Mara, Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan each held his or her own, given the terrible script, and the sound of the film pulled its weight very well.
Late summer hits also made some waves this summer, although they were all much more muted in comparison to these first four films.
One film that I really enjoyed came late in the summer season: “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” The film, directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer, is a highly-stylized revival of a ‘60s spy television show. If you liked either of Ritchie’s “Sherlock Holmes” films, you would enjoy this film. Richie’s direction is sometimes jarring, with split-screen segments and extremely fast-paced montages, but it is interesting to watch. There is a good amount of witty charm throughout the spy caper.
And how could I possibly talk about late summer hits without bringing up the one currently taking over the box office: “Straight Outta Compton.” The biopic has been dominating the field these past two weeks, and it does not look like many other films can stop it. Although I haven’t seen the film, I can say that the marketing was exceptional. The viral marketing campaign of the movie, which includes a neat image-maker where anyone can juxtapose a custom logo on a picture of their own, is a showing of how the Internet and culture can affect Hollywood’s profits and bring in more audiences. While I wish this film were a little less biased — the people on whom the story is based on are the ones who produced it, so all viewpoints are slightly more pointed — I do think it is an emotional piece that works well in the social climate of America at the moment.
I know this doesn’t cover all of this summer’s big films (sorry “Inside Out”). This summer had a lot of upside to it. From the reemergence of George Miller to continued success of Marvel, a great amount of good has happened this year in the movie industry, and looking forward it looks like a lot more will happen. With “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “The Hateful Eight,” “Crimson Peak” and “Bridge of Spies” all on the horizon, we have a lot left to be excited about in 2015.
