Until NOW!
I present to you my top 10 favorite movies from this past summer. Let's jump right into it.
10. UP
Pixar, Pixar, PIXAR! How?! How the hell do you keep doing this, friend? You make movie after movie, putting so much heart and soul into everything you do, and you continue to blow me away every time. THE INCREDIBLES is still my favorite of their library, but UP is certainly up (PUN!) there for me. I think this film made me cry more than STEEL MAGNOLIAS. And seeing that I've never actually watched STEEL MAGNOLIAS, UP has the upper (PUN!) hand. I don't know where I'm going with this, but this is a beautiful film that's up (PUN!) there with some of the best animated films around.
9. MOON
This is the first of three phenomenal science fiction films on the list which shows it couldn't have been a better summer for nerds. Sure, TERMINATOR SALVATION dropped the ball big time, but this film, along with the other two, quickly pick the ball back up to go in for a slam dunk. Sam Rockwell is amazing, truly displaying his chops in this, essentially, one man show. David Bowie's seed, Duncan Jones, did a hell of a job with his direction and I can't wait to see what he does next. This is a hell of a wink and a nod to sci-fi greats like Kubrick's 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY that doesn't rip off, only pays homage while being a great addition to the genre.
8. THE HURT LOCKER
The director of my favorite vampire flick of all time NEAR DARK (SUCK IT TWILIGHT!), Kathryn Bigelow, makes one of my absolute favorite war set films of all time. It's so gritty, realistic, and just damn good. God is it good! I can't get over it. One of the main reasons it's so good is the lead, Jeremy Renner. That guy makes this movie his bitch. This is a hell of a role that needed someone not intimidated by the challenge of it. Renner took on the challenge and went above and beyond. It looks like indie films are taking over the summer and I couldn't be happier about it.
7. AWAY WE GO
When I made a top ten list of my favorite directors a while ago, Sam Mendes was, I believe, number 7 or 8. This man consistently creates movies that make it onto my top ten lists every year they're released. AWAY WE GO is an observation on the idea of where one lives will shape how happy a family can be. I loved seeing the different couples and how vastly different each and everyone was. I also adored John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph as Burt and Verona. They worked perfectly together.
6. DRAG ME TO HELL
To begin, I'm going to quote my review for this film from Facebook: "First and foremost, apology accepted, Sam. You've certainly made up for the mess that was Spider-Man 3." This film certainly did just that. Sam Raimi returns to his horror roots and he is clearly having fun doing it. This is a fun romp in the genre of horror comedy that deserves your time and money!
5. STAR TREK
Speaking of science fiction, who would have expected such a fantastic reboot of one of the originators? I was never a Trekker, I was always more of a STAR WARS guy, but holy hell is this movie awesome! Abrams picks the perfect cast to bring the best preexisting franchise blockbuster of the summer to life! Fox and Warner Bros. should have taken his lead when it came to their blockbusters!
4. THE HANGOVER
The director of one of the most overrated comedies of all time (OLD SCHOOL) makes one of the best comedies of all time! Nice rebound, Todd Phillips (especially after SCHOOL FOR SCOUNDRELS)! Every mother fucker in this movie is hilarious! The leads are pure solid gold, the writing is tight and never misses a beat, and there isn't a laugh free spot to be seen. The only flaw I see is that Zach Galifinakis is no longer my little secret. Oh well.
3. DISTRICT 9
I had no idea what to expect from this movie. The previews were different and interesting, but gave no insight on how this would turn out. This is one of the first times this has happened to me. Usually, I read so much news and see so many trailers and TV spots that I've pretty much guessed what happens. This was a total surprise and the most original science fiction film I've seen in a very, very, very long time. It's not afraid to be different. It's funny, scary, and thrilling. I applaud Peter Jackson for helping Neill Blomkamp bring this vision to life.
2. (500) DAYS OF SUMMER
I was almost positive this movie was going to be number one on my list. It's pretty much flawless in my eyes. A wholly original love story with two of my favorite young actors working today in the leads. This movie doesn't feed you bullshit about love. It doesn't hold your hand. It straight up tells you this shit happens. Suck it up and move on. It's a gorgeous piece of art that I can't wait to watch again.1. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
Speaking of art, holy shit! This is a very intricate, very precise, very beautiful piece of work from the cinema master, Quentin Tarantino. I feel like I've gushed over this film a lot recently, so I'll keep it short. Christoph Waltz is one of the best villains in the history of film, bringing a tour de force of a performance unmatched by anyone else in the picture. Brad Pitt comes close with his over the top Aldo Raine, providing my favorite character he has ever done. Every moment is very, very tense, punctuated by beautifully choreographed violence, and will have you on the edge of your seat. The climax including the movie theater, the remaining Basterds, the Jew Hunter, and the breathtaking Shosanna Dreyfus and her horrifying homemade movie is the best ending to any film all summer. This is QT's best direction and some of his strongest writing. These reasons all add up to the best movie of the summer.
Hope you enjoyed my list! I plan to try and post more often, but no promises.
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