Summer Movie Season 2013: Winners and Losers

With Labor Day weekend coming to a close, the summer movie season has officially ended. It's been a long four months, with several anticipated sequels and projects finally making their way to the big screen. But what genres were the winners and losers? What movies were surprise successes, and which were major flops? And what takes the crown as the best summer movie of 2013? Today, join Movie Critic's Club in taking a look back at this summer on the silver screen.

Here are my choices for this year's winners and losers:

Best Genre: Animation- Part of the reason the summer movie season is so commercially successful is because students have off school. In their boredom (and sometimes need to get out of the house), parents take their children to the movie theater, where there are usually an abundance of kid's flicks waiting to be seen. However, unlike year's past, nearly every family-friendly animated adventure this summer was amazing. Stunningly animated, breathtakingly funny, and full of heart, this was the genre that continually stood above the rest. This may end up being one of the tightest races of this year's Oscars. Five out of five stars.

Includes: Epic, Monster's University, Despicable Me 2, Turbo, Planes

Worst Genre: Thriller- As the name suggests, a thriller should get the heart pumping and skin crawling. Unfortunately, no movie managed that feat. The theme of this summer must be taking really interesting, high-profile premises and wrecking them with sloppy technique and poor filmmaking, because this happened at least a handful of times. I have never felt more bored at thrillers than I have this summer. Out of remorse for the premises alone, one out of five stars.

Includes: After Earth, White House Down, Getaway, Kick-Ass 2, The Purge, Paranoia, Getaway


Biggest Surprise: Comedy- To those who are familiar with me personally or with this blog, this winner may come as bit of a surprise. I am not a huge fan of modern comedies, and with only a few exceptions, find the current treatment of the genre to be disgusting. Simply put, I do not think that they are funny. However, to my shock and awe, comedy was arguably the best genre of this summer. I have never laughed so hard at a movie theater in my entire life as I did this year, and I couldn't be happier about it. Ignore the distasteful Grown Ups 2, and focus on classy The Heat. Four out of five stars.

Includes: This is the End, The Heat, We're the Millers, The World's End

Biggest Disappointment: One-Man Hero- Some of the most anticipated pictures of 2013 featured a one-man army saving the planet. Clearly, people, the days of Die Hard and Rambo are over. Every now and then, these pictures work and are somewhat decent. But this year, stupidity hit a low point. Do not get me wrong, I love a good, old-fashioned action picture as much as the next guy, but they need at least a resemblance of a plot to make me believe them. I did enjoy the work done with heroes like Iron Man and Captain Kirk, but the mythologies of Superman and The Lone Ranger were too gravely disrespected to ignore. Two out of five stars.

Includes: Man of Steel, White House Down, The Lone Ranger, World War Z, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, Elysium, After Earth

Winner: Actors Having a Lot of Fun in Their Roles Despite Being in (Mostly) Terrible Pictures- Movies made for the general audiences, for the most part, are purely intended as escapism. They give people a chance to escape their boring lives and live through the characters on screen. Sometimes, actors need that too, as evidenced by a great many high-profile performers giving their all into an awful film. In fact, sometimes the actor's energies were so infectious that they made us forget that the movie sucked- at least for a while. Bruce Willis, Jeff Bridges, and Vin Diesel are settled enough into their careers where they don't really need to win an Oscar for everything. So why not have a little fun with it? Four out of five stars.

Includes: RED 2, Fast & Furious 6, R.I.P.D., 2 Guns, The Lone Ranger

Loser: (Not So) Inventive, (Not So) Original Science Fiction- Science fiction, at it's best, is an allegory for a certain moral crisis at the time of release. It teaches the world the dangers of racism, war, and revenge by pitting starships against intergalactic threats. Sometimes, all it takes is fast-forwarding to Earth in 20 years, showing how disparate the classes are. Science fiction got off to a high note with Star Trek Into Darkness; however, that movie also foretold a series of futuristic busts that contained no originality or inventiveness whatsoever. Into Darkness, while really fun and entertaining, was virtually identical to it's predecessors in terms of plot and design. While this worked and made Star Trek Into Darkness an early summer blast, it nevertheless led the way for more sci-fi blockbusters to take what has already been done and put a new spin on a cliche theme. Two and a half out of five stars.

Includes: After Earth, The Purge, Man of Steel, Pacific Rim, R.I.P.D., Elysium

Winner: Surprisingly Good Sequels- Summer blockbusters are bound to include a majority of sequels; their obvious successes in the first installment makes studios confident that the sequel will generate equal or increased revenue in the heat of summer. While some sequels got a lot of flack when first announced, the cast and crew nonetheless generated a worthy successor to the original, making them as equal and entertaining as before. Five out of five stars.

Includes: Iron Man 3, Star Trek Into Darkness, Fast & Furious 6, RED 2, Before Midnight, The Wolverine, Monsters University, Despicable Me 2, The World's End

Loser: Not Surprisingly Horrible Sequels- On the other hand, some sequels were just doomed from the start. Some were insulting to the original glory, others were sequels to movies that sucked in the first place. Often, however, they're sequels we just didn't need. One out of five stars.

Includes: Grown Ups 2, Kick-Ass 2, The Hangover: Part III, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, The Smurfs 2

And finally, drumroll please, my choice for the best movie of the 2013 Summer Movie Season is...

Iron Man 3- Summer 2013 got off to a bang that was never quite replicated. Out of all the movies I've seen this summer, this one easily takes the crown. It felt just as fresh as the other Iron Man pictures, but still worthily followed up The Avengers- no small feat, mind you. Robert Downey, Jr. still amazes as Tony Stark, and all the supporting characters provided excellent performances amongst a highly entertaining picture. Plus, perhaps biggest of all, Iron Man 3 genuinely surprised me at times. I did not see several of the plot twists coming, and having that almost never happen anymore, this was the biggest gift a film could give me. Popcorn entertainiment, thought-provoking themes, and a heck of a fun ride, Iron Man 3 is clearly the best film of Summer 2013.

Honorable Mentions: Star Trek Into Darkness, Monsters University, The Wolverine, The Heat

Hope you've enjoyed reading this 2013 Summer Movie Season Review! I would love to know what winners and losers stood out to you from May-August. Now, within the next month, Oscar season will begin, and Movie Critic's Club will once again be following it every step of the way. Stay tuned next week for the return of Flashback Friday, where we'll be taking a look back at a very special film I watched again this summer. Enjoy your viewing time, and I'll see you at the movies!

Elysium (Blomkamp, 2013)

Class struggle has remained a popular theme among cinematic allegories. The classic good vs. evil moral themes and the similarities to the problems of today make it an easily accessible backdrop. From The Tale of Two Cities to The Dark Knight Rises, each new reflection of class differences tries to add something new to the genre. On the outside, Neill Blomkamp's Elysium seems to be a creative new look on these overdone themes. But what viewers get instead is one shrug after another, leaving them empty and none the better because of it.

While it's not nearly as inventive as it boasts, Elysium nevertheless remains a visually spectacular action film. It features multiple small-scale fighting sequences that keep moviegoers entranced during the initial viewing. The problem with Elysium is not the movie itself, but rather it's aftermath; once viewers start to talk and think about it, they will realize that there's really not much to this picture. Neill Blomkamp's District 9 (2009), on the other hand, is a highly thought-provoking sci-fi piece. This clearly talented filmmaker could have done so much more to make Elysium an entertaining art film.

Set in a dystopian future where overpopulation and disease has shaken Earth, the upper class moves into a large space station orbiting the planet. The station, Elysium (which means "paradise" in some cultures), is a fully-functioning atmospheric habitat, allowing the rich to live in peace and preserve their way of life with the best technology at their disposal. Earth, on the other hand, is a crumbling nightmare, controlled by abusive robots and unsympathetic corporations.

Max (Matt Damon) dreams of one day living on Elysium, but due to his troubled past, cannot find a stable job to earn the money necessary to purchase a ticket. He's trapped in a parole system that treats him as a public menace. But after an radiation-fueled accident, Max learns that he only has days to live. Seeking help from a shady technophile eager to start a revolution, he dons a robotic suit that makes him stronger and faster, keeping the fatal radiation at bay. Now, Max must steal vital information that could be the turning point in Earth's future. But, he must contend with Defense Secretary Delacourt (Jodie Foster) and her lethal assassin Kruger (Sharlto Copey), who desperately want the information for themselves.

The casting in Elysium is one of the weak points. Matt Damon is the wrong choice for Max, and he just feels awkward in this role. His potential as an action and/or dramatic star is not in contention, but he tries just a little too hard here. Jodie Foster's cold and calculating femme fatale is highly interesting, but she is not given enough screen time to take any real notice. On the other extreme, Sharlto Copey, as the mindless killer, is seen WAY too much; his cool novelties wear off after the first hour, and he's in the second half twice as much. William Fichtner, Alice Braga, and the other supporting roles do not perform particularly well, either.

The dialogue is atrocious, with one cliche-riddled line after another. The premise itself is fascinating, and there's no denying Blomkamp's capacity as a storyteller. But the "one day you'll make a huge difference" garbage is old and never satisfactory writing. In addition, as entertaining as it is to see someone blow up into a million little pieces, seeing it with every single death is palm-in-head worthy by the end.

Elysium remains visually stunning, with awesome special effects and well-developed production designs. On Earth, every scene is crowded with people, a little detail of overpopulation that most directors seem to forget. The robots are very life-like and fulfill their CGI purpose nicely. Someone pointed out to me that everyone on Earth speaks Spanish, and those on Elysium speak French, which is another well-integrated and thought out detail.

Science fiction at it's best serves as a social allegory, masked behind a seemingly-fantastical universe; District 9, for example, dealt with the apartheid of South Africa through aliens that crash land on Earth. That film in particular harkens back to the glory days of highly creative science fiction writing that is not seen as much today. Elysium and it's director should have stuck with the formula they knew worked for District 9, and applied it to a more entertaining story with bigger thrills. Instead, they crafted an empty picture masked behind a visual sleight-of-hand.

Two and a half out of five stars.

The Way Way Back (Faxon and Rash, 2013)

Remember those dreaded summer-long family vacations? The ones where mom and dad would claim the kids would enjoy themselves, but the children just feel miserable the entire time? Well, Duncan (Liam James) knows the feeling, stuck on a beach-town filled with negligent, childish adults and bratty teenagers. For a kid who already feels lonely, this trip could have been a nightmarish and never-ending struggle. However, Duncan forms a friendship and a capacity for fun in ways he never could have imagined.

Thanks to a bravura performance from Sam Rockwell, and a likable lead in Liam James, The Way Way Back is an entertaining and mostly lighthearted coming-of-age film. The writing is sharp, and the direction is impeccable (probably because Nat Faxon and Jim Rash did both). The entire cast gives surprisingly effective performances, allowing the actors to immersive themselves in roles that usually play against their personal stereotypes. It's a refreshing and original comedy drama.

Liam James stars as Duncan, a teenager who has had to deal with the divorce of his parents and his mother's (Toni Collette) douche of a new boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell). In the movie's most disturbing sequence, the opening scene depicts Trent rating Duncan a three out of ten, calling him a lazy and friendless boy who needs to leave the house more. Duncan despises Trent, but is too weak to do anything about it.

Duncan, his mom, Trent, and Trent's daughter (Zoe Levin) go together on a trip to a beach-house Trent grew up in. There, they find Trent's old friends, who are nothing but childish adults hoping to get away from life over the summer. They virtually ignore and abuse their children, who respond by acting childish in return. Duncan is left alone, and the only contact he has is nothing but harassment.

He tries to go out on his own, having trouble meeting new people until he encounters Owen (Sam Rockwell), the free-spirted manager of the Water Wizz amusement park. Owen takes Duncan under his wing, showing him how to have fun with the help of the other employees (which include Maya Rudolph, as well as writers/directors Nat Faxon and Jim Rash). Duncan's increasing confidence is also mirrored in his growing friendship with love interest Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb). But Duncan is still troubled at home, and has to deal with the increasing separation from his mother before he loses her forever to Trent.

The actors do a marvelous job here, and each performance, no matter how major, is committed 100%. Steve Carell has played bad guys before, but none are as despicable as Trent. Behind the seemingly innocent facade lies a man who cares only for himself, psychologically tormenting Duncan in unimaginable ways. Carell really does a great job here. Toni Collette is equally brilliant as Duncan's mother; she plays the defenseless and tired woman with world-weary heaviness, felt in her performance by each sigh and constant need to hold back tears.

However, it's Sam Rockwell's multi-layered role that leads the ensemble cast. He's funny, charming, kind, rude, and protective all at the same time. Audiences will cheer each time he comes on screen, and will be eagerly awaiting his next return. From pop culture references to a constant concern for the people around him, Owen is the best character in this picture.

The screenplay is particularly intelligent, handling multiple issues, story-lines, and character arcs with clarity and grace. Audiences will feel for these characters, and can relate to one or all of them in some unique way. Each line of dialogue seems real, and remains a refreshing change of pace from a lot of cinematic writers.

While most other modern coming-of-age films are dark and angsty (see Juno or the near-perfect The Perks of Being a Wallflower), The Way Way Back is much more comforting and lighthearted. Even though the film lacks in the style or innovation department, it's still a life-affirming picture with a ton of heart.

Unlike Trent, I would rate Duncan a ten.

Four out of five stars.

The Wolverine (Mangold, 2013)

Finally: The Wolverine story comic fans have waited to see. Logan's adventure in modern-day Japan is a very popular story, and the loyal X-Men followers have patiently waited to see it on the big screen for over a decade.

After the disappointing X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), The Wolverine is a welcome return to the famous X-Man. Benefitting from a strong performance by Hugh Jackman, the film will delight both hardcore franchise fans and newcomers alike. The Wolverine is one of the few members of the X-Men capable of standing alone in his own film, and this movie remarkably proves that point.

Set after the events of X-Men: The Last Stand, The Wolverine sees Logan having to deal with the haunting memory of a former lover (whose cameo is cool at first, but repetitive as the film progresses), and has frequent flashbacks to his troubled past. But almost out of the blue, he meets a mysterious Japanese warrior (Rila Fukushima), who informs him that her master wants to say goodbye to the Wolverine that saved his life so many years ago. Logan reluctantly follows her to Japan, and discovers a shocking truth in the country he has not seen since World War II. The Wolverine must now make a fateful choice that could drastically affect his future forever.

The Wolverine is Hugh Jackman's vehicle; it easily remains the actor's best performance in the role that made him a household name since 2003's X2: X-Men United. James Mangold proves a better director than Origin's Gavin Hood, and captures the essence of the comic book story by maintaining the titular character's personality as well as the beautiful locales of Japan.

The villains are pretty pathetic, and normally would not stand a chance against Wolverine. The screenwriters, although they did a fair job otherwise, should have chose better bad guys to at least make the cockamamie villainous plot seem somewhat threatening. Nevertheless, there are several genuine thrills to experience in the picture.

As an action movie, there's enough mutant battles and samurai fights to keep audiences interested. The stunt work is incredible and (almost) believable. However, the drama portions are also well done, thanks in part to the committed performances. The Wolverine does not rely on CGI to craft a well-integrated story, which is a nice change of pace from the normal superhero fare.

There's plenty for comic fans to chew on, but those new to X-Men can still find enjoyment from this solid action flick. I would recommend reviewing X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), but this is a story that rightfully depends on Hugh Jackman and the viewer's appreciation for Wolverine. Thankfully, it succeeds on both these levels.

Four out of five stars.

The Lone Ranger (Verbinski, 2013)

It's horribly written and edited, but The Lone Ranger remains a wallop of a good time.

Produced by the team behind The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, The Lone Ranger will certainly appeal to viewers looking for mindless adventure. It has a very long runtime, but overall keeps the action moving so that audiences do not notice. The multitude of actors are committed, the direction is solid, and the plot is unnecessarily complex.

Overall, a typical Gore Verbinski film.

The Lone Ranger is faultily narrated by Tonto (Johnny Depp), a Native American warrior who recounts the story of the Lone Ranger to a young boy. Basically, John Reid (Armie Hammer) is a man of law and justice, committed to the system and naive in the ways of the real world. He returns from the city to his Wild West home, where a dangerous criminal named Butch Cavendish (William Fichtner) has recently escaped. When Reid goes after the criminal with his sheriff brother's deputes, the rangers are ambushed by Butch's goons. All of the rangers are killed, and Reid is left for dead.

Tonto finds Reid and, believing him to be a Spirit Walker, saves the lawyer from the desert. Reid wants to bring Butch to justice, while Tonto has his own ulterior motives behind wanting to find the criminal. The two team up, Reid dons a mask, and they set out to bring justice to the old West.

The writing is never in focus. The actions of the characters do not make much sense, and the story progresses rapidly where it show go slow and glacially where it should go fast. The writer knew all the characters well enough to do justice to them, but just tries to fit too much in at one time.

The biggest problem with The Lone Ranger is in it's core narration: the movie blames many of its plot holes on the fact that Tonto is an old man who forgets things. This leaves the audience shaking their heads in disbelief as Reid and Tonto are constantly placed in ridiculous situations that have no resolutions. One minute, one man's in a jail cell, and the next, he's out in the open. It remains a combination of poor editing and writing that is never truly resolved.

But the target audience of The Lone Ranger will not care about editing or directional issues, so for those people, the film indeed remains enjoyable throughout. It does have a lot of characters, but all are developed enough to avoid confusion. Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp lead the cast with enjoyable chemistry and great stuntwork.

The Lone Ranger remains a fun tale, not very well made, but highly entertaining. It makes viewers feel like they are young boys sitting in front of a ten-inch TV screen, smiling over each explosion and gunshot.

Do not go in expecting to see a work of art, kemosabe, and just enjoy the movie for what it is.

Three out of five stars.

The Heat (Feig, 2013)

Sandra Bullock's Ashburn and Mellisa McCarthy's Mullins are the new Murtaugh and Riggs.

One of the funniest movies released in the past decade, The Heat delivers as both buddy-cop gold and comedic genius. The jokes are right on cue, and at times it's hard to hear the next line after the hilarity of the previous leaves the auditorium in hysterics. It's raunchy, hilarious, and vastly entertaining to watch. 

Sandra Bullock plays Sarah Ashburn, an uptight, by-the-book New York FBI agent who's cockiness makes her disliked by almost all her co-workers. She vies for a promotion, and thinks her chance has come when she's assigned to take down a drug lord in Boston. In that city, she meets Mellisa McCarthy's Shannon Mullins, an extremely vulgar city cop who fights her way through cases. Ashburn and Mullins butt heads at first, but eventually realize that they need each other to finish the job. 

Unfortunately, The Heat is as predictable as it is funny. But that does not stop Bullock and McCarthy from giving two of the best performances of their careers. Sandra Bullock is fantastic in these type of roles, and she is finally back on the map after almost four years of not following up her Oscar win. McCarthy has no moral line, so her jokes can take audiences anywhere, anytime. That makes her unpredictable and exceptionally hilarious. The supporting players do not get much to work with, and at most get one or two funny punchlines in before McCarthy shows them up. 

The Heat also subtly addresses themes of sexual discrimination in the justice system, corruption in the police force, and family values. The pacing works for a comedy, but it takes longer than anticipated for the film to get truly entertaining. The beginning seems uncomfortable, with McCarthy swearing every other word and Ashburn just being annoying to watch. It picks up speed after the two finally meet. 

Director Paul Feig provides a funny summer comedy with The Heat. But it's Bullock and McCarthy's hugely entertaining performances that makes viewers want to stay. 

Four out of five stars. 

Man of Steel (Snyder, 2013)

"You will give the people an ideal to strive towards... But in time, they will join you in the sun. In time, you will help them accomplish wonders." 

Apparently, Jor-El was not referring to his son's latest film debacle. 

Zack Snyder's Man of Steel is a hollow, lackluster, and no-fun adaptation of Superman's origin story. The visual effects are second rate at best, with CGI fight scenes looking more like a video game than an actual movie. Snyder sacrifices story and character development for excruciatingly long fight sequences, and seems not to care about the poor editing as well. 

Man of Steel starts with the planet Krypton's final hours, when General Zod (Michael Shannon) launches a coup against the elitist Kryptonian government. After a massive battle, Zod and his associates are placed in a black hole to suffer for all eternity for their crimes. Jor-El (Russell Crowe) and his wife send their recently born son to Earth to spare him from the destruction of their home world, and preserve the memory of their culture. 

After Krypton is destroyed, the baby lands on Earth, possessing superhuman strength and abilities due to some mumbo jumbo alien science. His childhood is told in a series of flashbacks, while the adult Clark Kent/Superman (Henry Cavill) tries to learn about his true nature from clues left by his father. Meanwhile, reporter Lois Lane (Amy Adams) investigates mysterious alien appearances across the globe, while General Zod comes to Earth to conquer the planet. Superman must now choose whether or not join the only surviving members of his race, or save the planet he has come to call home. 

The casting, on paper, seems excellent. Henry Cavill plays a decent Superman, but the Clark Kent parts are extremely uninteresting and poorly executed. Michael Shannon just yells a lot as Zod, with no character depth and pointless angry speeches. Amy Adams would be a good Lois Lane if she was actually playing Lois Lane; the character in Man of Steel is so far fetched and separated from the heroine that it's hard to tell what the writers were even thinking. Lawrence Fishburne's limited screen time as editor Perry White is wasted on pointless action and hammy dialogue. Russell Crowe's Jor-El is the only truly good performance in the film, making the corny screenplay have some girth and meaning. He gets the best lines and the best scenes (if there is such a thing in Man of Steel). 

Man of Steel takes everything one step farther than it should be. While the flashback idea is nice, the audience stops caring about them by the fourth or fifth depressing childhood memory. Each battle is at least 5-10 minutes too long, and there are several fight sequences that are just completely unnecessary. Most of it is just wanton destruction. Audiences will spend the majority of the action with their face in their palms, with buildings blowing up for seemingly no apparent reason. 

With Christopher Nolan producing and Zack Snyder directing, Man of Steel should have been a sure thing. Instead, audiences get an awkwardly humorless and overly long film that takes itself way too seriously. The Man of Steel deserves so much more than this. 

One and a half out of five stars.