Welcome back to school. We here at SIN could not help but notice your absence at the multiplex this summer. While we are quite sure that many of you like movies, we are unsure what kept you away. We are currently researching this problem and will report back to you at a later date. We also noticed that a lot of the movies that showed in theatres this summer were typically oh, how should we say this crap. One can only assume this factored into your absence so we felt compelled to list our favorite films. We have chosen to call them Fantastic as you will notice that Fantastic Four was in fact the film that broke the so-called box office slump. Virgins, rejects from Hell, candy-makers, moving castles, and Siths were all likely candidates. Lets have a look at how they fared, shall we?

JAMESS FANTASTIC FILMS

5. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
I know exactly what you are thinking. Who do you think you are and where did this chick flick come from? Well, the film is based on a popular novel of the same name and is simply one of the best chick flicks I have ever seen. In a culture where we glamorize teenage girls as sexy and as sex symbols in film, music and in public schools, Sisterhood provides a sincere and difficult examination of the lives of four teenage girls as they spend their first summer apart. Losing your virginity, the death of a parent, the death of a friend, magic pants, weight issues, step-parents, andfirst jobs all weave together the story of these young girls. Of course the argument can and will be made that movies are simply there to provide entertainment, but when Sisterhood achieves such heights, it is difficult to not have a box of tissues present to mourn both the events in the film and the inception of the next Hilary Duff film.

4. Batman Begins
After sad, pitiful, heartbreaking public exhibition of Batman and Robin in the late 90s, it would have been easy to throw in the obligatory towel in regards to the Batman franchise. Or you could allow director Christopher Nolan to take the Caped Crusader back to the drawing board to create the most compelling superhero film ever made. By focusing on the Bruce Wayne character for much of the film, the audience can at last understand who this man really is and the reasons that would lead him to don a bat suit and fight crime. The lead performance by Christian Bale is both menacing and heart-wrenching. More importantly, Bale is surrounded by some tremendous supporting actors (Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy, Katie Holmes, Tom Wilkinson to name a few) who each bring believability to a world that asks us to believe in superpowers and supervillains. Batman Begins proves that once that audience believes in a well-written character, they will follow him even into the guise of the Bat Suit.

3. The 40-Year-Old Virgin
I have not laughed this hard at a movie in a very long time. Yeah, sure, Ive chuckled at a few movies every now and again. The 40-Year-Old Virgin is a hysterical treat that treats its characters as three-dimensional human beings while realizing the humor that occurs in everyday existence. And it works so well throughout the entire running time of the film. This R-rated film succeeds in capturing honesty in a zeitgeist that demands we ignore (hypocritically I might add) our own sexuality. It is near impossible to be offended by The 40-Year-Old Virgin mainly because the film is so sincere in its depiction of Andy and never condescends to him or the audience. And as previously mentioned, any film that pokes fun at The Beautician and the Beast AND Baby Geniuses deserves an award for shaming those films for the vile, condemnable celluloid that they are. Kudos!

2. Star Wars Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith
Who knew it would take George Lucas two new prequels to learn how to tell a convincing space saga in an effective, compelling and visually stunning manner? Watching Episode I and Episode II, the only general consensus was that Mr. Lucas more than capable of turning amazing character actors (Ewan McGregor and Natalie Portman) into wooden, well, wood. Watching Episode III, he accomplishes everything the Star Wars saga has ever promised fans. The greatest complaint in regards to the prequels has been the overindulgence/reliance on state-of-the-art special effects to tell the narrative of the prequels. In Episode III, there is a magnificent scene in which George Lucas successfully manages to accomplish the juggling act. When Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) unfolds the legend of the Sith for Anakin (Hayden Christensen), he does so with an ominous space opera unfolding in the background. The scene is visually stunning as the unseen audience applauds in the distance. Anakin is being seduced by the dark side of the force and we are finally seduced by visual effects that compliment the story rather than upstage it for the sake of chanting Look what I can do!

1. Crash
If one were to ask the average moviegoer to list the common aesthetics that embody the summer film, the highly unlikely response would be a film that seriously considers racial tensions in post-September 11th American society. Yet, Crash opened in limited release in early May and went on to steadily build its box office over each subsequent week, the opposite monetary trend of most films. The film dealt with the politically incorrect topic of race in an honest and sometimes devastating manner that many films tend to ignore in favor of not rocking the boat. Don Cheadle, Ludacris, Sandra Bullock, Terrence Howard, Ryan Philippe, and Matt Dillon deliver standout performances throughout the compelling narrative that unfolds after two cars crash in a busy Los Angeles intersection. If one should doubt the power of this film, consider the following line of dialogue from Sandra Bullocks character after she is carjacked at gunpoint by two young African-Americans. She notices the two men approaching her before the incident and later replays it for her rich, white husband. I knew it was going to happen. But if I had turned and walked away from them, I would have been called a racist. Any film daring enough to admit the underlying (and sometimes obvious) racism prevalent still in America warrants a viewing. Crash demands your attention, your intelligence, and your dialogue on the matter after the end credits.

MICHELLES FANTASTIC FILMS

5. Kingdom of Heaven
I think Im one of three reviewers that actually enjoyed this movie. And granted, I think it suffered a little from cutting out too much. Be that as it may, Kingdom of Heaven was still a solid film with a fabulous cast (including Liam Neeson, David Thewlis,Jeremy Irons, and Orlando Bloom)and one of the best depictions of a siege ever committed to celluloid, a definite breath of fresh air after the less-than stellar (to be kind) epics that have been coming out. One thing is for sure: Ridley Scott knows how to handle his epics, and if he had released the longer version, the film may have been higher on this list.

4. The 40-Year-Old Virgin
Its so nice to see a movie embrace its R-rating. The 40-Year-Old Virgin sails gleefully into raunchy territory, laughing at pathetic PG-13 attempts at comedy, and embracing the fact that it can say and do just about anything. And its hilarious. However, they also imbue the movie with enough heart that, at the end of the day, you really do care. First-time director Judd Apatow and first-time lead Steve Carell knocked this one out of the park.

3. Broken Flowers
Ill admit Ive spent half the summer complaining about the big studio movies, the ones that hope to blow your brain cells out of your ears so that you wont realize how bad they are. Thus, Broken Flowers, a small, quiet film that assumes the audience possesses an IQ higher than that of gravel, was a wonderfully welcome change. Bill Murray is the master of a well-timed quip or a perfect facial expression. His journey is more internal than external, with an open ending that some people may dislike, but if you know what youre getting into, you wont be disappointed.

2. Howls Moving Castle
Visually astounding and imaginative, Howls Moving Castle is a different sort of fairy tale and a prime example of a childrens movie done right. The important themes arent as overt as they usually are in films for kids, and Howls also boasts intriguing, complex characters, an international war, plenty of magic, and a love story to boot. Its a lovely movie in every sense of the word.

1. Batman Begins
After the travesty that was Batman and Robin, fans of the Dark Knight were clamoring for Warner Bros. to do justice to their beloved comic property. In the capable hands of director Christopher Nolan, Batman Begins did all that and more. Christian Bale proved worthy to don the Batsuit, and there was nary a weak link in the rest of the cast (we can argue about Katie Holmes later). They took the time to make this movie about Batman, rather than his (admittedly colorful) nemeses, and took a chance with a couple of lesser-known villains to give them their time in the sun. This is how a comic book movie should be done.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

War of the Worlds
Steven Spielberg shunned the conventions of the alien invasion genre and crafted a movie that was, for the most part, a harrowing survival story in the face of incredible odds, which even managed to overcome the negative publicity coming off Tom Cruise. What it couldnt overcome, though, was the implausible, ultra-happy ending that effectively ruined what Spielberg had worked so hard to build up over the course of the film. -MP

Wedding Crashers
Honestly, this movie would probably be in the top five if it werent for the dive it takes into predictability the second its revealed who the titular crashers really are. While the second half spends a bit okay, way too much time on Owen Wilsons depression, the first half is absolutely classic, especially with the extremely screwed-up relationship between Vince Vaughn and Isla Fisher. -MP

Cinderella Man
This is another case of a movie getting overshadowed by the publicity of its star. Cinderella Man is a good movie, and its been cursed to near-anonymity thanks to a thrown telephone. Its worth seeing at least once, and thats saying something coming from me, given that I dont care for Depression-era films. -MP

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Welcome back Tim and Johnny! Oh look, youve brought some lovely Oompa Loompas along. Thank you as it is always a nice treat to have you with us. -JC

The Devils Rejects
A much better film than House of a 1000 Corpses. Equal parts disturbing, interesting, and scary. Take that R-rating and run with it, Mr. Zombie! -JC

Broken Flowers
Some will be disappointed by the ending of the film. Others will be enchanted by the performance Bill Murray delivers and the lovely women who share the screen with him.-JC

Click the link at the right for our worst lists!
JAMESS FANTASTIC DISAPPOINTMENTS

5. Bewitched
Memo to Nicole Kidman: No more remakes! Seriously, this is for your own sake as well as that ofthe movie-going public. And if you must, please try to make them humorous or well-done. Excruciating is not the adjective that comes to mind when I think of going to see a comedy. That is the general rule and I stand by it.

4. The Island
Michael Bay. I am not sure what happened as I really liked the concept for your new film especially considering the canon of films to your credit that have disappointed in the past. Just like with Bad Boy I & II, Pearl Harbor, and Armageddon, the lesson here is that it should and will take more than explosions, car chases, stereotypes, and obligatory romances to make a good film.

3. Madagascar
In the aftermath of Shrek 2 and Finding Nemo, this film mostly wades through familiar territory until it finally ends rather anti-climatically. Oh boy, I hope our heroes escape the villains in time! Wait, you mean there arent even any villains? Next!

2. Wedding Crashers
Say what you will, but this was not the great film it could have been. With Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn as your leads in a rare R-rated comedy, one might assume some raunchy comedic mayhem might ensure. Sadly, it will not. Yes, both of these men are very funny actors and one might even argue that they are funny in this film. This argument is certainly not entirely unfounded but I want to ask each of you have seen the following film:
a) boy and girl meet
b) boy or girl has a secret that they must keep from new flame
c) montage of new couple happy together until
d) the secret is revealed
e) significant other leaves boy/girl so that
f) montage of boy/girl being severely depressed can occur
g) until boy/girl finally confesses that he/she is sorry and never meant to hurt the other.
G will usually occur at a conference, wedding, or party. Ladies and gentlemen, Wedding Crashers follows this formula so closely that by the time Will Ferrell shows up for his cameo, I frankly did not care anymore. Yes, there were some funny moments to be found in this film which is really too bad considering what a rare commodity the R-rated comedy is these days. Luckily, we have The 40-Year-Old-Virgin to pick up the slack.

1. Fantastic Four
Do well to note the reasons that made Batman Begins and Spiderman 2 such successful comic book adaptations. Take those reasons and subtract them from Fantastic Four. At least, that is what appears to have taken place in the screenplay for this film. Any film that spends so much time discussing the convoluted way our heroes get their new powers should rethink its approach. And human emotion and conflict in regards to being cursed/blessed with new superpowers? No, it will not be found within the frames of this film. The closest to convincing emotion the audience will get in this film will be from The Thing character and that is only because Michael Chiklis is such a fine actor. Oh, and apparently Sue Storm really, really, really hates that she has to be naked to become invisible. Oh, the humanity!

MICHELLES FANTASTIC DISAPPOINTMENTS:

5. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
My expectations for this movie (as aStar Wars fangirl, no less)were considerably lowered after the first two prequel films, and I walked out quite disappointed that Revenge of the Sith only barely managed to meet them. There were some good parts, even some great parts, but by and large the horrendously painful dialogue, plot points that required both suspension of disbelief and leaps of faith, and Lucass lack of faith in his actors made the movie too uneven to truly enjoy.

4. Mr. and Mrs. Smith
When the movies release is obscured by constant tabloid attention to the existence (or lack thereof) of a romantic relationship between its stars, it should be a red flag. The premise behind Mr. and Mrs. Smith offered a lot of promise, but completely failed to deliver. Instead, we got another completely by-the-numbers, big studio action movie where the nicest compliment bestowed upon it has been, It couldve been worse. And even thats debatable.

3. The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl in 3-D
Movies about superheroes? Good. Movies about superheroes based on a six-year-olds storytelling capabilities? Not so much. Movies involving cardboard 3-D glasses, single-handedly the most annoying film gimmick of all time? It makes me want to gouge my eyes out so they will never again have to be subjected to such a travesty. Robert Rodriguez, this is what you give us after Sin City?

2. Bewitched
Just thinking about the idiotic rewind of 20 minutes of the movie makes my blood boil. Aside from having a premise that sounds like somebody thought it up after a night of one too many martinis (Omigod I have like this totally awesome idea! Well remake the Bewitched TV show into a movie thats about them remaking the TV show as a TV show! How self-referential! Its genius!), it also woefully underused most of its comedic talent (Stephen Colbert, Mo Rocca, and Steve Carell), which is a criminal offense in and of itself.

1. The Island
This movie had so much promise. It looked like it had a timely premise, an actual plot instead of an excuse to blow everything onscreen to smithereens. It had real actors, those not normally associated with action movies, which meant we may get real relationships not based on who can quip more one-liners. But when you give away what COULD have been a major plot twist in the trailer and then eschew any story thread that couldve led to a moral dilemma in favor of more car chases and explosions, then you deserve to bomb.

Michelle Pierce isa professional writing senior and SIN content editor. She is the reigning queen of the underground gladiator battles that take place weekly in the SIN office. James Cooper is a film and video studies senior. His new favorite word is "ragazza" and he's determined to challenge Michelle's title in their upcoming battle to the death.
hello there & you too