Here's the movies I've seen this summer, and what I think of them: (Pretty simple, huh?)
1. The Incredible Hulk: Having more in common with the old television show than the comic books, the film portrays Bruce Banner as a fugitive from the government as he tries to find a cure. Edward Norton makes a better choice for Banner than Eric Bana. It felt like Hollywood on autopilot. It was fun to watch, but lacked any real emotional core. C+
2. Indiana Jones and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: Lucasfilm's second attempt to create a decades-delayed sequel to a beloved movie franchise, and with better results. Harrison Ford is Indiana Jones, no matter the age. Sadly, it's the first of his films in the past decade that I haven't regretted seeing. While the movie seemed to focus more on mystery and less on action, it still could have been a lot worse. God save us from the day we're forced to see "Mutt Williams and the City of Atlantis." B
3. Iron Man: The opposite of the Hulk movie: a well-balance diet of snarky remarks, fleshed out characters, and spectacular action sequences. It makes Tony Stark as compelling a character as Batman Begins did with Bruce Wayne. What can I say that millions of other positive reviews haven't? A
4. Speed Racer: Ah, Speed Racer. The most maligned movie this summer, and I can't figure out why. Top-notch effects and non-linear storytelling made Speed Racer a surprise hit with me. Whether you come away with the "artistic individual vs corporate monotony" message or just enjoyed all the explosions, there's something here for everyone. Everyone except the critics, I guess. A-
5. The Dark Knight: The movie picks up where Batman Begins ended, with Batman and Gordon feeling hopeful that they can put an end to the mob's corruption in Gotham City with the help of the new DA, Harvey Dent. From there, everything goes wrong and continues to worsen until the end credits. This movie is intense, dark, and unrelenting. Heath Ledger breathes life into the Joker as a haunting yet frightening character, and it's a tragedy he will never be able to reprise the role. A-
I still have yet to see Hellboy 2 and Star Wars The Clone Wars. I'll let you know what I think.
1 comment:
I thought Hulk was a little better than a C. Not really the best superhero movie, but it seems to be cursed for such a classic "comic" character. Indy was good. Thank you Spielberg for protecting our childhood heros. I really liked the opening sequence, but the skull bit could have been more clearly written. I actually liked Speed Racer. I liked the cartoon colors and the great narrative. It did have a positive message. It is just too good for hollywood standards.
My favorite pick of the summer is Iron Man definitely. I like the mix of humor, drama, action, a character who is interesting as well as a cast of other friends who I care about too. It made me want to go out and read the comics!
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