Between the Reels: Summer's Over. (2013)

Better belated than never, right?

I avoided as many previews for this film as possible (something I typically recommend). So going into the movie I had one impression of what I was getting into, then the film convinced me it was something entirely different, & then finally I realized the actual final product was somewhere in between my expectations and insanity. All in all, I enjoyed it. This one definitely stands to benefit from its audience NOT knowing what to expect when they walk into the theater. I suspect most of the previews would spoil the surprise.
Rating: 4 out of 5

A sci-fi film that could've been great or terrible but settled somewhere right in the middle. Elysium plays with the notion of dystopia juxtaposed against paradise, separated into two distinct worlds. Of course, the goal is to blend the two. There are some really nice ideas here, but I'm not sure the film knows what to do with them. The film boasts a number of expertly crafted sequences, a few popular actors in nicely casted roles, & topped off with a mixture of cliche and originality. Don't go in expecting District 9 part deux (like I was hoping for), and you probably won't be disappointed.
Rating: 3 out of 5

An awkward coming of age tale that's somewhat rescued by a memorable performance by Sam Rockwell. The movie did succeed in creating a character played by Steve Carell that I actually hated, a feat I never thought was possible. The main character is just so painful to watch throughout the first half of the movie, which I guess is what they're going for. That would all be OK if there was some sense of cleverness or originality, which I'd say was lacking (aside from the aforementioned turn by Sam Rockwell).
Rating: 2 out of 5 (all stars awarded solely to Sam Rockwell)

Emotionally powerful and fraught with tension. Fruitvale Station, of course, gains all the more weight from its heartbreaking true story behind the film.
Rating: 4 out of 5

The closing chapter to an insightful and thought provoking trilogy might just be the strongest entry of the bunch. Each of the Before films stands tall on its own, but together they represent a fascinating chunk of American cinema.
Rating: 5 out of 5

Best film of the summer?

Last year that honor went straight to the movie that caught me most by surprise: Beasts of the Southern Wild. This year, I'd have to say The Conjuring and Frances Ha were my two favorites of mine. A close third & fourth would be Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing and Before Midnight.
Was it just me or did this summer belong to the "independent" films? It seemed there was a dramatic lacking in (quality) blockbusters. Last summer's The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises both were financial kingpins that critics & audiences both loved. This summer...

Iron Man 3 was boring.
Hangover Part 3 happened.
The Purge was terrible (please don't see it).
The newest Die Hard movie came out... entitled White House Down.
Man of Steel was largely disappointing.
Didn't see The Lone Ranger, Pacific Rim, The Heat, This is the End, or We're the Millers.
World War Z and Star Trek Into Darkness were actually pretty good.

Between the Reels