Unsurprisingly, only two of the following seven films are "original stories", not sequels, prequels, or re-imaginings! Even those two (Edge of Tomorrow and The Grand Budapest Hotel) were inspired by written works. Welcome to summer!
Happy reading!
Image source: http://www.chicagonow.com/hammervision/files/2014/05/XMEN.jpg
- X-Men: Days of Future Past
- This retro-infused superhero flick proves to be one of the strongest entries in the X-Men canon. Director Bryan Singer & Co. have seamlessly blended two impressive sets of characters/cast members into a single world. The film also serves another key function - to neatly clean up some of the series' fundamental flaws committed in previous films. With one memorable action sequence after another (no one will forget the Quicksilver Pentagon scene), this one shouldn't be missed.
- Rating: 5 out of 5
Image source: http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/80450F/screencrush.com/files/2013/12/edge1.jpg
- Edge of Tomorrow
- If you blend together equal parts badass, clever science fiction writing, and a sense of humor, the result is Edge of Tomorrow. Borrowing elements from other notable films in the genre (Source Code, The Matrix, and ...Tom Cruise), Edge plays like a D-Day style invasion on repeat. We see Tom Cruise's character transform with each successive attempt to defeat the mechanical enemy. Previews have wisely shied away from showing too much of the robotic entities called "mimics" in the film. I won't spoil their secrets, but they're pretty awesome and represent a formidable foe. You really can't ask for much more in a sci-fi / war / action comedy this summer. Well done.
- Rating: 5 out of 5
- Godzilla
- GODZILLA. The latest entry in the 60-year-old franchise doesn't skimp on the action. The first and final acts are stunning, but the middle third drags on for a bit. Not to worry, the other acts make up for it. I'm a fan of Director Gareth Edwards after his creative 2010 indie/sci-fi hybrid Monsters (which is a really great little film made for almost no budget in comparison to this behemoth). It's nice to see seasoned actors Bryan Cranston and Juliette Binoche thrown into this world of action movie "reaction shots." But don't see Godzilla looking for well-developed characters. Go in expecting to see one helluva big lizard king and you won't be disappointed.
- Rating: 3.5 out of 5
- Neighbors
- Neighbors pits two of the most physically different actors (pictured above) against each other in a raunchy, hilarious summer comedy. The film doesn't cover any new ground in picturing the "stereotypical" fraternity lifestyle, which is always disappointing. Seth Rogen reliably gives us another lovable, pot-smoking oaf of a performance. It is nice to see Zach Efron break out of his High School Musical / romantic comedy role. And Rose Byrne proves herself once again as a comedic force to be reckoned with. All in all, the film is hysterical & certainly delivers the laughs.
- Rating: 3.5 out of 5
- The Amazing Spider-Man 2
- Another entertaining and probably the most visually stunning Spider-man film to date. This 2nd film in the reboot series answers a lot of the questions the 1st reboot failed to answer (i.e. Peter Parker's father and his backstory). We finally get more of an idea of where the reboot series is going, and I like the direction it's heading. The addition of multiple villains remains a writing problem in films like this, but the film is so beautifully shot (and animated) that it doesn't matter as much. Max Dillon and Harry Osbourne are more caricatures than they are well-developed, believable human characters. Fortunately, their evil counterparts (Electro and The Green Goblin, respectively) are just so cool that they're hard to resist. For all the flaws in the storytelling, the film really does make up for it with stellar action sequences and memorable villains.
- Rating: 4 out of 5
- The Grand Budapest Hotel
- For what it's worth, probably the most violent Wes Anderson film to date. For fans of the director, you'll know that isn't saying much (don't go in expecting Tarantino style violence by any means). Wes Anderson's cinematic palate remains unique, insightful, and always beautiful. There's always something else going on under all the wide angle lenses and perfectly chosen colors. This is a murder mystery painted onto the big screen as no one else could possibly do it. It's quite an achievement.
- Rating: 5 out of 5
- Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier
- The 2nd film in the Captain America series proves to be much stronger than its predecessor. While the first film did have a nice retro vibe and a bigger cast of cohorts, The Winter Soldier packs a bigger action punch. Just as the story throws the classical hero Captain America into modern day society, the film itself has some nicely executed old school action sequences blended with CGI. It's effective. The Samuel L. Jackson SUV ambush and the final action set piece (pictured above) were riveting high points.
- Rating: 4.5 out of 5
