Labor Day weekend is here, marking the official end of the summer movie season. As I sit through Wong Kar-Wai's unbalanced but beautiful Ip Man flick "The Grandmaster" and Courtney ("Dungeons and Dragons") Solomon's pathetic car chase romp "Getaway", I can't help but reflect back on the cinematic highs and lows of the past four months. So how did 2013 stack up against previous years? Well, not as good as 2012, that's for sure. Still, it wasn't a bad year, not by a long shot. Here's my rundown -
Caveat: This is not a comprehensive list, by any means. I am not a professional critic (it's a blog, people), but here are my thoughts on the movies I sat through during the summer of '13. . .
MAY
The season kicked off, as usual, with a Marvel superhero flick. "Iron Man 3" was the first one out of the gate and, while not as good as last year's "The Avengers", still turned out to be a fun epilogue to that epic comic book tale. Hardcore fans hated what the filmmakers did with the Mandarin, but I harbored no preconceptions (I'm not much of a comic book reader) and liked the twist. And Robert Downey, Jr. is fun to watch, as always.
"The Great Gatsby", F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel, got a visually splendid 3D treatment courtesy of Baz ("Moulin Rouge") Lurman and star Leonardo DiCaprio. While the movie looked and sounded fantastic, it was ultimately hollow and unfulfilling. That, I think, was largely the point, yet the movie also seemed to simultaneously miss the point. It was very contradictory. "Tyler Perry Presents Peeples" also opened that weekend, but I honestly can't sit through another Perry-related movie without having a brain seizure.
"Star Trek: Into Darkness" was a bit of a disappointment. I greatly enjoyed the first one, but this time around director J.J. Abrams turned the 'Dumb' knob up to 11. It breaks both the real laws of science and the made-up laws of Trek, and, for a rebooted franchise in which "anything is possible", they just ended up copying characters and plot points from previous movies ("Wrath of Khan", I'm looking at you). Still, the cast has great chemistry and are fun to watch, the action sequences are exciting, and the music and special effects are great. A mixed bag.
Then came Memorial Day weekend. Here's where the really good movies started to come out. Let's start with the not-so-good:
"The Hangover Part III" arrived to conclude the Wolf Pack Trilogy. Thank Jeebus it was better than Part II, but still far less funny than the original. They just shouldn't have made sequels. The animated adventure "Epic" was released to appease the younger crowd, and it's not a bad movie at all. It's not terribly great, either, but this "Avatar"-like 3D action fest has its moments.
"Fast & Furious 6" (or just "Furious 6", as the in-movie title reveals) proved to be nearly as good as its excellent predecessor ("Fast 5") and ended up as one of the best movies of the summer. Sure, it's not Shakespeare, but it knows how to deliver satisfying action and how to please longtime fans of the series. It's a lovably cheeseball soap opera with an honest, adrenaline-fueled heart. If the post-credits kicker is any indication, next summer's "Fast & Furious 7" could be the one to beat (Jason Statham, Thai action god Tony Jaa and Kurt Friggin' Russell are in it, along with Vin Diesel and The Rock - need I say more?).
Lest you think of me merely as a beer-guzzling, ball-scratching, hairy ape, let me say this - the first movie I rushed out to see on Memorial Day weekend was "Before Midnight". The third movie in a series of romantic dramas which began with "Before Sunrise" and continued with "Before Sunset", "Midnight" continues the love story between the characters played by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy nearly 20 years ago. Essentially (like the previous films) one 90 minute-long conversation, it proved to be the most complex, riveting and moving chapter in the series to date and one of my favorite movies of the year. I look forward to seeing the next one in about 10 years.
The Movie of May - "Fast & Furious 6"!
JUNE
The magician mystery spectacle "Now You See Me" proved to be a surprise hit with audiences. While fast-paced and stylish, with a great cast, it had a wink wink 'I'm so clever' attitude which annoyed me since I could see where the movie was headed early on in the story, but it's not a bad ride. Fans will be happy, since this was meant to be the first half in a two part story and its success at the box office guarantees that the next movie will arrive shortly. Also released that weekend was "After Earth", another dopey, awkwardly-acted M. Night Shyamalan debacle which only proved one thing - Will Smith's name is not a box office guarantee.
The social-horror flick "The Purge" had an interesting premise ("Star Trek: The Original Series" did it first, and better) but shot itself in the foot with its stupid plot contrivances and overreliance on annoying jump scares. Ethan Hawke still managed to be good, however. "The Internship" reunited "Wedding Crashers" stars Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn as Google interns, and the result was 90 minutes of unfunny product placement. I've never been a fan of Vince Vaughn. I think his awful attempt at playing Norman Bates in 1998's "Pyscho" still sticks in my craw. Get out of my craw, Vaughn!!! Thankfully it was Joss Whedon to the rescue with his witty, highly entertaining version of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing", his low budget follow up to "The Avengers". Don't let the 'S-word' scare you off (it shouldn't anyway), this production of the Bard's classic play takes place in modern times and features many of Whedon's frequent collaborators (Nathan Fillion, anyone?). Great stuff.
The next weekend saw Superman hit the big screen once again in "Man of Steel". Henry Cavill does a fine job playing a conflicted alien Jesus, Amy Adams is a strong Lois Lane, and the movie is, overall, not bad (the opening scenes on Krypton are great). I just wish they hadn't sucked so much of the fun out of the franchise. This is why Marvel movies are so much better than DC movies. It it's fun you want, then look no further than "This is the End", a postmodern postapocalypse romp featuring many of today's comedy stars playing themselves. It's a flippin' riot! If you missed it in theaters, take heart - it's getting rereleased on September 6th! Speaking of Emma Watson (who's in "This is the End"), her other movie "The Bling Ring" opened the same weekend. I haven't seen it because the title annoys me.
Then came yet another prequel that nobody was asking for - "Monsters University". A prequel to Pixar's "Monsters, Inc.", this is a decent animated movie with a great voice cast (Charlie Day is hilarious), but the past couple of years have made it painfully clear that Pixar Animation is no longer the Untouchable House of Genius that it once was. "World War Z", very very very loosely based on the novel by Max Brooks, was a behind-the-scenes mess that should have turned out to be unwatchable. Surprise! It's decent. Despite being far too sanitized and uneven (the climactic scene seems like it's from a different movie), it's worth it to see Brad Pitt fighting zombies.
The final weekend of June saw the female cop buddy comedy "The Heat" hitting screens. I found myself laughing far more than I expected to with this movie, thanks to the teaming of Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy. "White House Down", the second movie about the U.S. capital coming under attack (the other being "Olympus Has Fallen") was directed by Roland ("Independence Day") Emmerich. If you go into this movie expecting the usual Emmerich schtick (corny humor, broad characterizations, overblown action scenes with great special effects), you should have a decent time with this one.
The Movie of June - "This is the End"!
JULY
More animated stuff for the kiddies. "Despicable Me 2" arrived with the promise of more Minions, and it delivered. Unfortunately, the Minions were, by far, the best part of the movie. The rest seemed rather rote and a bit lifeless compared to the original (which I loved). Overall a disappointment, but decent (thanks to the Minions). "The Lone Ranger" rode into multiplexes and empty theaters the same weekend as DM2. Apparently, I was one of the few people who actually liked this one. Sure, it's too long and bloated, and Johnny Depp's 'weird outsider' characters seem to have lost favor with audiences (I thought he was okay in "Ranger"), but a very strong climax, a great soundtrack and solid direction by Gore Verbinski made this a great throwback to the glory days of classic westerns (oops, I said the 'W' word - there goes the modern filmgoer). "Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain" opened this weekend, as well. Didn't see it, but I heard it was kind of funny.
Dear God forgive me, I went to see "Grown Ups 2" in theaters. Why? Because I occasionally like to see movies that I know are going to be bad, just to remind myself what a Really Bad Movie is. It helps me keep perspective. "Grown Ups 2" is even more unfunny than the first one, yet it still made over $100 million at the box office. Thanks to idiots like me. I hang my head in shame. Then I saw "Pacific Rim" the same weekend, and all was right with the world. There are aspects of PR that still annoy me (you have such an original movie yet lift cliched plot points from other movies without applying any sort of twist to them?), but it's still ended up as one of my favorite movies of the year. It's also the movie I've seen the most times in theaters this summer (4 times, and it gets better each time). Its fresh mythology, stellar action sequences, great cast, rousing music, perfect special effects and spot-on direction by Guillermo Del Toro make it one hell of a good time. And it's the only movie of the summer that I will miss seeing in IMAX 3D. Also opening was "The Way Way Back", a nice indie coming of age tale. Predictable, but not cloying. Very watchable.
2013 is a great year for horror films. Case in point: "The Conjuring". It's old school horror done right. James Wan ("Saw", "Insidious") proves once again that he can scare the pants off audiences without resorting to cheap jump scares (although there are a couple of those) and CGI. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson are very engaging as the main characters, who are based on real people (scam artists, apparently, but don't let that ruin the movie for you). This movie was also a huge box office hit, the most profitable movie of the summer, in fact. Expect to see "The Conjuring Part II". "Turbo" opened for the kids this weekend. It's an animated movie about a racing snail. Meh (not bad, not good). "Red 2" also hit screens. It's the Bruce Willis-starring action comedy based on a DC comic. Meh (not bad, not good). Certainly not as enjoyable as the first one. The action fantasy comedy "R.I.P.D." also hit theaters this same weekend. Meh (not bad, not good). I was expecting so much more from Jeff Bridges in this. Sigh.
And now for the final weekend of a jam-packed July. The latest Marvel movie "The Wolverine" slashed its way through audiences. Hugh Jackman is good, as always, and it's a watchable, smaller-scale standalone story (way better than the prequel "X-Men Origins: Wolverine"), as well as a decent lead-in to next year's "X-Men: Days of Future Past " (be sure to stay until after the credits). "The To-Do List" is also a decent comedy, although that depends on your tolerance of the comedy stylings of Aubrey Plaza. I loved her in "Safety Not Guaranteed". "Blue Jasmine", the latest from Woody Allen, also opened that weekend. I'm not much of an Allen fan, but I've liked a lot of his movies. Cate Blanchett is in this, so I will be seeing this very shortly.
The Movie of July - "Pacific Rim"!
AUGUST
So here we are, in the Dog Days of summer. Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington kicked it off with the surprisingly entertaining crime thriller "2 Guns". An old school buddy cop movie with a twist (they're both undercover cops and neither of them is aware of it), it's pretty good. 'Pretty good' may not be my description of "The Smurfs 2". Or it may be, I haven't seen it. I've put off sequels to bad movies for now, thanks to "Grown Ups 2". "Fruitvale Station" opened roundabout this time, but I haven't caught up with that one yet, either. It's getting good word, though. Fall is usually a good time to catch up on missed movies.
The movie I was most looking forward to in August was Neil ("District 9") Blomkamp's "Elysium", the socially conscious sci-fi actioner starring Matt Damon. I was a bit disappointed. Don't get me wrong, it's a good action movie with exciting action, excellent special effects and decent performances (although Jodie Foster's accent is somewhat off-putting). I was just hoping for something smarter (beyond the initial premise - 'the poor live on Earth, the rich on a space station' - nothing is done with it). "We're the Millers" is not that 'smarter something' that I spoke of, but it is an okay comedy. It's better than I was expecting it to be (a phrase I've used a lot this summer). "Planes", the non-Pixar spinoff to Pixar's "Cars" franchise, is boring beyond belief, an utter snoozefest. Zzzzzzzzzzzz. "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters" is the sequel to "Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief", both of them based on young adult novels. Basically it's Harry Potter with Greek gods. It's not terrible, just okay - slightly better than the first one. On the indie scene, there's Amanda Seyfried in "Lovelace", based on the story of the real life adult actress. I haven't seen it. Neither have I seen "In a World", which is getting mixed reviews but sounds like something I will be seeing this fall. I also haven't seen "House Party 3". Or "House Party 4", for that matter. Just thought I'd throw that out there.
Then there's "Sharknado". What can I say about "Sharknado" that hasn't already been said? Well, if you type the word 'Sharknado' while in Facebook, autocorrect wants to change it to shark ado. It's a modern bad movie classic that must be seen with a midnight movie audience to be believed (as I did).
"Lee Daniel's The Butler". Yup, it's maudlin. And manipulative (all movies are). And schmaltzy. But I'll be damned if I didn't like it. Please don't tell anyone, it'll ruin my street cred. I was expecting the worst with "Kick-Ass 2", but it turned out okay. It's not nearly as good as the first one, but Jim Carrey is good, Chloe Moretz is great (the soul of the movie), Aaron Taylor-Johnson is good. There are just a few really wrongheaded scenes that derail the movie. "Jobs", like "The Internship", felt like a 2 hour commercial (in this case for Apple). It's not bad, but it is a rather by-the-numbers biopic. I was really looking forward to seeing Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman square off once again in "Paranoia" (like they did in "Air Force One"). Unfortunately, "Paranoia" may be the dumbest movie of the summer, disguised as a slick thriller. Avoid. Thankfully I saw "Hatchet III" on "Hatchet" Night, which helped me to regain my street cred. The most enjoyable entry in this old school horror/comedy trilogy, it was a great night at the movies. Highly recommended for horror fans. Caroline Williams? Zach Galligan? Danielle Harris? Derek Mears versus Kane Hodder? If any of these names excite you, than you may be a horror geek like me and should see "Hatchet III" immediately.
Now for the final week of summer. First off, more crappy young adult crap - "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones". Yet another witless "Buffy, The Vampire Slayer" wannabe, yet it still manages to not be the worst thing ever made. Put that quote on the poster, please. "The World's End" is the latest movie from the makers of "Shaun of the Dead". It's not as funny as that horror/comedy classic, more of a "Hot Fuzz"-level of hilarity, but it's worth your time. Finally, there's "You're Next". Are you still out there, horror fans? This is a great movie. While it appears, on the surface, to be yet another home invasion flick, there's a twist at the midpoint that changes all of that. Then it becomes a wicked, R-rated horror movie version of "Home Alone". And if the names Barbara Crampton, Ti West and A.J. Bowen excite you, then you're a really hardcore horror geek and have probably seen this movie already. It's solid stuff.
The Movie of August - "Sharknado"!
And now, time to declare the ultimate winner of the summer.
The Summer Movie of 2013 is. . .
Before Midnight!
Makes a good "Part 3" double feature with "Hatchet III", yes?