Summer Movie Reviews

[strangevisitor7]

Now that we’ve reached the halfway point in the summer movie season, I thought I’d share my reviews of the flicks I’ve seen so far. Thoughts about each movie are under the cut so as not to spoil anyone.

1) Ironman – Easily the best movie of the summer. If you haven’t seen it yet you are missing what I consider to be the best superhero movie yet. I know Batman is still to come but I just can’t imagine enjoying that more. Robert Downey Jr. IS Ironman. Form the crisp perfect banter with Pepper to the great CGI of Ironman flying – They got everything right.

2) The Incredible Hulk – Well the best thing I can say is it was worlds better that the version directed by Ang Lee a few years back. Ed Norton made a much better Bruce banner and the CGI was more believable. Liv Tyler was a weepy mess through out. So unless you are a huge Hulk fan I’d wait for DVD

3) Kung Fu Panda – Skadoosh is the new summer word. My family loved this movie. Jack Black is hilarious as the hapless panda Po and he is surrounded by a great cast of characters. Dustin Hoffman as Shifu being my particular favorite. I just adore the put upon Kung Fu Master as he tries to train the seemingly untrainable panda.

4) Wall-E – I have to admit I did not see this. Hubby took the boys. Their verdict – Boring and they wished they’d gone to see Kung Fu Panda again instead. I have to wonder why it’s getting so much praise when my family had nothing positive to say about it. I’m curious what you out there might think. Until then I can’t recommend it.

5) Hancock – A mediocre boring fare. I was disappointed because the trailers look really good. The ending descend into a ridiculous sappy morass. Plus I never found Will believable as the “asshole” he was supposed to be. The explanations of his origins just didn’t work for me. So without giving anything away – I can’t recommend this movie.

6) Get Smart – I’d have to put this down as the surprise of the summer. I loved the original TV show and was skeptical that they could pull it off. Guess what – It was Hilarious!! Steve Carell was absolutely perfect as Max and the update worked really well. It still captured much of the silly nonsense that made the original a hit. Plus I squeed like a silly fan girl when Bernie Kopell – the original head of CHAOS – made his cameo appearance. Just a fun romp from beginning to end. I really enjoyed it!

7) Don’t’ Mess with the Zohan – Don’t go see it – Just Awful from beginning to end!

8) Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - What can I say it had its moments. I loved the banter between Indy and Marion – there needed to be more of that. Shia was terrific as Mutt and I took to the character right away. It was the adventure itself that felt a little weak. I’m not sure if the lack of Nazis is to blame but it does seem that Nazis = better Indy adventure. All in all it was a good movie just not up to the standards for Raiders or lat Crusade but definitely ahead of Temple of Doom.

9) The Happening – I ride the roller coaster that is M. Night. Loved The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable but not any of his others. I think this was his best effort since Unbreakable. It is just a tense ride from start to finish and I think the critics have been unduly harsh. Many questions go unanswered but it’s all about the journey in this one.

So there’s my first half round-up. In summary, Ironman, Get Smart and Kung Fu Panda are my top three so far.

I am looking forward to Hellboy and Batman. I am especially excited about the new Mummy flick as I have great affection for the first two.

Comments

[trystan830.livejournal.com]

i LOVED Wall-E!!!!!

and i SO want to see The Happening. :)

[strangevisitor7.livejournal.com]

I have heard such great things about Wall-E i was shocked when the family didn't enjoy it. But I think it maybe isn't a good boy movie. I will definitely catch it once it's on DVD

[trystan830.livejournal.com]

I think it maybe isn't a good boy movie.
well that could be. i enjoyed it lots. :D and DVD is good too. i think i'm going to get it when it comes out on DVD. :D

[wizefics.livejournal.com]

Iron Man = Wins Everything in the World.

I told my mother this morning to see this before she saw anything else - especially Indiana Jones. XD

Lessee - I agree with you on Iron Man, Indiana Jones, and the Happening (which I loved!).

I feel that you've confirmed my suspicions about Hancock and the Hulk.

I will probably see Kung Fu Panda now, because you are the nth person to tell me how good it was.

You couldn't pay me enough to see the Zohan movie. XD

I will be seeing Get Smart, because, dude! The Rock! *fangirls liek whoa*

And I adored Wall-E, but I think maybe it was more of a chick-flick than not. Robots falling in love doesn't make for a good "boy" movie. It was sweet, and cute, and poignant and funny and I personally loved the message (Green is In!), even if it was a bit heavy handed...

[strangevisitor7.livejournal.com]

I was thinking that my boys were not the right audience for Wall-E. I will probably catch it when it comes out on DVD. At 11 and 15 they are not much for anything that even remotely resembles a chick flick.

THe Rock was fantastic - who knew he had such good comedic chops.
I got dragged to Zohan - the problem with being the minority gender in my family - I was out voted.

Ironman FTW - I've seen it twice and want to go again!

[wizefics.livejournal.com]

The Rock was fantastic - who knew he had such good comedic chops.

If you are a fan of comic Rock movies, let me strongly suggest "The Rundown." He stars with Sean William Scott and it's about a billion times funnier than I would have ever expected.

Also "Be Cool" features an awesome version of The Rock in a very funny (and very gay - alhtough I can't remember if they ever say he's gay or not) role opposite Vince Vaughn and John Travolta.

What? I'm only a tiny bit obsessed. ;)

[strangevisitor7.livejournal.com]

I did see 'Be Cool' and had forgotten that he was very funny in that! I will have to check out the Rundown.

What? I'm only a tiny bit obsessed.
Nothing wrong with that.:D

[strainconductor.livejournal.com]

Oh! I can see why some would find Wall-E, there was hardly any dialogue, and was more of a movie of silent acting than anything else, I however thought it was wonderfully sweet, and I was suprised when my boyfriend loved it too!

The thing with Wall-E, is that it has alot of that subtle kind of humor, and if you have a chance to see it with a girlfriend, I definately reccomend it <3

It's a movie you watch when you want to feel cute&mushy, not one filled with action and explosions, and neat Kung Fu moves (I love Kung FU!!)

I STILL haven't seen IronMan >< I doubt I will, seeing as how Batman is coming :3

[strangevisitor7.livejournal.com]

I am getting the feeling that Wall-E just wasn't for the boys. Everyone seems to love it so i will definitely have to find time to see it or at least rent it when it come out on DVD!

He Ironman vs. Batman - seems to be a fanfic theme these days.

[arathisiewen.livejournal.com]

I have seen IronMan and Get Smart and enjoyed the latter more than the former; while I was very impressed with Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark (omg hotness) the rest of the movie sort of frusted me. I am not a Terrance Howard fan and think they could have done better casting both there and with Gwenyth Paltrow's character. She grated on me from the beginning of the movie and wanted her squashed; I was sceptical about Get Smart mroe because I am not a Steve Carrell fan, although I liked what I GOT to see of him in Dan in Real Life... but it was AMAZING. It was nice to see THe Rock as a "evil" character who got to speak for once, too!!

Also, not a big Jack Black fan, so the only thing I REALLY enjoyed were the little movie theatre scenes ("that's right, I'm watching you") are the only thing I liked about Kung Fu Panda.

[strangevisitor7.livejournal.com]

I guess because I know the comic, if really thought Ironman was well cast but I am not a big Gwenyth fan normally.

The Rock as evil was a nice twist since he always seem to play the big damn hero

[arathisiewen.livejournal.com]

Except in The Mummy Returns, but he didn't really have a speaking the part there - and I was terribly disappointed at his performance in The Scorpion King (as the story did not go with the story in MR at ALL).

*pets your icon*

[strangevisitor7.livejournal.com]

Very true The scorpion King was a big disappointment.
I find RDJ to be such a hot guy especially as Ironman. but I've loved him since "Chances Are" an old 80's romance.

[arathisiewen.livejournal.com]

I think i SAW "Chances Are" - not when it came out of course, but at some point in my lifetime.

[strangevisitor7.livejournal.com]

I just bought it off Amazon because Ironman reminded me of my college crush on RDJ and my love for that movie

[arathisiewen.livejournal.com]

Looked it up in IMdB and totally saw it... wasn't my favourite movie but cute. Loved the earrings thing from what I remember...

[prncssflutterby.livejournal.com]

Wow that's alot of movies. I only saw Jumper and that was like May I think...

Dad and I are gonna try and go see Iron Man this week. The theatre it's at right now has really cheap matinees.

[strangevisitor7.livejournal.com]

My husband and i are movie junkies - Pretty much every Friday in the summer we go to the movies - it's out thing.

Enjoyed Jumper - we just rented it on DVD.

And look what a surprise more sword - It come with being a highlander fangirl

[prncssflutterby.livejournal.com]

I saw Jumper with a friend at the theatre. I loved to movie and immediately on the way home I was attacked by plotbunnies for crossover fic(s) with Supernatural...

I used to go to the movies all the time but right now it's an expense that got eliminated from my budget til I get a job. But rent movies from the library however is still awesome cause it's FREE! I just gotta wait til stuff comes out to DVD and hope that the library ordered it, because they don't get everything.

I imagine sword icons do come with being a Highlander fangirl. speaking of I have a surprise for you... I actually snagged a Highlander icon like last week... Lookie!

[strangevisitor7.livejournal.com]

LOL very nice - Duncan yay. Does this make me a good or a bad influence?

Movies are the one place we do spend our money. I really enjoy going to the theater

[prncssflutterby.livejournal.com]

LOL very nice - Duncan yay. Does this make me a good or a bad influence?
Who knows? I'm well aware of the fact I'm a bad influence on acathla02dru but then again she's my little sister...


As much as I hate waiting for things to come out on DVD then scraping together enough to buy it sometimes it's easier to do that then go to the movies all the time. This way I have them and can watch them all the time. In fact when I do this the only time I rent them before buying them is when I'm not quite sure based on previews alone.

However I'm breaking this rule in just under two weeks.