With the bloat of the summer cineplex behind us, The Daily's Laron Chapman looks back at the films that occupied his summer, for better or worse.
“Inception”
Directed by Christopher Nolan
With an already impressive track record providing films such as the brilliant “The Dark Knight” and the fiendishly clever “Memento,” Nolan has crafted his masterpiece with the dazzling sci-fi thriller “Inception.” With first-rate special effects, intelligent and moving performances and a wildly inventive narrative, “Inception” is arguably one of the year’s best films.
“Toy Story 3”
Directed by Lee Unkrich
Woody, Buzz, Slinky and the rest of Andy’s lively toy box returned for one of the best sequels in recent memory. Here is an animated film that is every bit as imaginative, humorous and moving as its iconic and groundbreaking predecessors. It’s sure to be a front-runner in this year’s Oscar race for best animated film.
“Salt”
Directed by Phillip Noyce
With a title like “Salt,” it has got to be a popcorn film. Luckily, this sophisticated action thriller is seasoned with enough brains and thrills to tingle anyone’s taste buds. Add a sexy Angelina Jolie (looking better than ever) to the equation and viewers were provided with a summer blockbuster that crackled with suspense and excitement.
“Eat Pray Love”
Directed by Ryan Murphy
America’s “Pretty Woman,” Julia Roberts, traveled around the globe in need of some good old-fashioned soul-searching in the faithful adaptation of author Elizabeth Gilbert’s best-selling memoir that garnered a hefty cult-following in 2006. Both a lavish travelogue and a certified weepy, Gilbert’s inspiring and heartwarming story is both a feast for the eyes and a comfort to the spirit.
“The Karate Kid”
Directed by Harald Zwart
This modern remake of a much-praised American classic is an absolute triumph. Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan make a great comic duo, evoking more depth, charm and heart than viewers likely anticipated. Zwart (“The Pink Panther 2”) has crafted a noble remake to a film that has been embraced and cherished for decades.
“Get Him to the Greek”
Directed by Nicholas Stoller
Getting the eccentric British rocker Aldous Snow (as riotously performed by Russell Brand) from London to L.A. proved quite hilarious in Stoller’s extremely raunchy spin-off to the uproarious “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” Brand and Jonah Hill have electric chemistry as two lads on what seems to be a mission to nowhere. While the laughs come fast and furious (notably credited to a very humorous Sean “Puffy” Combs), the film leaves just enough room for heart and sensitivity.
“The Expendables”
Directed by Sylvester Stallone
A tribute to the fallen action legends of the ’80s and ’90s, Stallone’s gloriously silly “The Expendables” is a wild ride worth taking. Viewers looking for brains or coherence should take strong caution, embrace their inner badass and relish this brutal action thriller for all its campiness and amusement.
“The Kids are All Right”
Directed by Lisa Cholodenko
Annette Bening and Julianne Moore are absolutely brilliant, both giving their best performances to date as a lesbian couple forced to embrace their children’s desire and curiosity to find their estranged father. This is a perceptive, humorous and honest portrait of the modern American family. Keenly observed, piercingly funny and wonderfully written, the film is more than just all right.
"Dinner for Schmucks"
Directed by Jay Roach
Odd does not even begin to describe Roach’s (“Meet the Fockers”) dreadfully unsuccessful attempt at comic farce. Introducing one peculiar character after another, then intentionally putting them through shame and humiliation proves more cruel than hilarious. Had it not been for the charm and wit of actors Paul Rudd and Steve Carell, this would be one dinner party audiences would not regret skipping.
"Grown Ups"
Directed by Dennis Dugan
In a juvenile attempt to evoke laughter, Dugan (“I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry”) gathered comedians Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, David Spade, Kevin James and Rob Schneider, only to do them a disservice by providing them with one-dimensional characters that are as dopey as they are uninteresting. Thankfully the actors perform small wonders with the tacky material offered, resulting in a film both mildly amusing and forgettable.
“The Other Guys”
Directed by Adam McKay
Despite a few really big laughs in the first act as credited to the film’s talented comic performers (Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg), the film feels like a tasteless off-brand to better films of its genre. Ineffectively mixing sharp satire with standard buddy cop conventions, the film suffers from an unfocused screenplay and a maddeningly uneven narrative that proves more frustrating than comical.
"The A-Team"
Directed by Joe Carnahan
The hit 1980s action television series gets an aggressive face lift in this summer blockbuster that is as brainless as it is entertaining. Viewers willing to suspend reality and waste valuable brain cells likely appreciated this shamelessly enjoyable thrill ride.
“The Last Airbender”
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
Just when viewers thought Shyamalan (“The Happening”) could do no worse, here comes a film so painfully unwatchable, he deserves an award for solemnly believing it would ever pass as entertainment. Exceedingly dull, glacially paced, poorly acted and sloppily written, Shyamalan has crafted not only his worst film, but the worst film produced so far this year.
“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”
Directed by Edgar Wright
With spurts of genuine creativity, a premise chock full of invention and originality and a charming comedic cast, it’s a shame to see it all wasted on juvenile antics and self-indulgence. With films such as “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz”, there is no denying that Wright is a talented director. However, here his pretentious and manic visual style simply grows tiresome.
“Charlie St. Cloud”
Directed by Burr Steers
In a miserable attempt to combine elements of the supernatural and the romantic, this silly and sentimental teen weepy is void of any genuine emotion or depth. Even Charlie (Zac Efron) himself, the film’s steamy and starry-eyed lead, can’t salvage what little imagination the narrative evokes.
"Splice"
Directed by Vincenzo Natali
After a promising start, this nifty little sci-fi thriller becomes reduced to standard creature feature conventions that destroy what could have potentially been a modern classic of its ever dying genre. Much to the credit of two smart performers, Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley, the film operates with a quiet depth, eerie special effects and mystic intrigue. Unfortunately, these blessings can’t be fully embraced as the film’s narrative ends on a rather dopey note.
"Knight and Day"
Directed by James Mangold
With “Killers” and “The Bounty Hunter,” “Knight and Day” is the third film of its kind this year. It may not be the worst of the lot, but let’s face it, that is not saying a whole hell of a lot. Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz turn in some impressive stunt work and their chemistry evokes a kind of goofy charm, but it’s Mangold’s excessive lack of focus, second-rate action sequences and choppy editing that ultimately steer this action vehicle into mediocrity.
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Steven Zoeller 1 year, 9 months ago
Scott Pilgrim is certainly a wild card. I personally enjoyed it, but I say that knowing very well that I'm a geek. As a result, I feel like I got more of the obscure jokes and was able to enjoy the premise more than most critics. It had a number of good ideas, though, and it was very creative.
Eat, Love, and Pray... I don't think memoirs should be so readily adapted into movies, but that's Hollywood. Having not seen it, I'll spare it for now.
And of course, Inception. I really want to see this a second time. Nolan is something of a deity to me, and this film only solidified him as my favorite director. I knew during the hallway scene that I had gotten my money's worth.