Summer Movies

Rodney and I are going to review some of the movies we've seen this summer. We'll be rating movies on a star scale. 1 star is awful and 5 stars is AMAZING.

Ratatouille
Esther - **** - Pixar did it again. I had so much fun with this movie, and I came out very hungry for French food. The story was sweet and the animation was amazing. The plot had all the emotional highs and lows that I've come to expect from Pixar movies. The animators were able to make the rats look fuzzy and the food look scrumptious. One of the major action scenes in the sewer was so much fun because the water was so realistic! I can't give this movie 5 stars, because it didn't completely "wow" me as other Pixar movies have in the past (Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc., Toy Story 2), but it came pretty darn close.

Rod - **** - I agree that the movie wasn't Pixar's best (for me, that's Toy Story 2), but anything by Pixar is better than most other movies by other studios. I also think the animation is stellar. And if rats turn you off, don't worry (much). You will root for the main character, Remy, as much as you do Nemo, Scully and Buzz. Warning: There are a few scenes of swarming rats that might make you a bit squeamish. But overall, there's plenty of fun, laughs and great food. Plus some lessons about following your heart (and art) mixed in.

Transformers
Rod - *** 1/2 - Full disclosure: I was a huge Transformers fan in the '80s. So I'm completely biased about this film. I really enjoyed it. It was like spending time with old friends...friends who happened to get a $100+ million CGI makeover in the last 20 years. The best part about this movie is it gives you a sense of scale. When the Transformers move and fight and knock each other around, you feel their power and heft. My main complaint sounds strange - I think there wasn't enough character development of the Transformers. You are introduced to the Autobots (the good guys) and learn their names, but you don't really know anything about them. In my 12-year-old mind they all had distinct personalities and roles. Here they are almost interchangeable, especially the Decepticons (the bad guys). So my recommendation for the inevitable sequel: more robots, less humans! And, like most of these summer movies, they should hire a better editor. Almost all of these summer movies could stand 20-30 minutes of trimming.

Esther - ***1/3 - I don't remember watching the Transformers cartoons, but I think I had some knock-off toys. The first two-thirds of this movie was great. The story was entertaining and funny, and the Transformers looked very realistic. The action sequences were quick and smooth, and it didn't feel like cgi. The romantic thread between the two main characters was mostly believable, with a few cheesy moments. My main complaint is that the ending didn't make sense. It just seemed too simple. Overall, I had a great time with this movie. It also helped that we saw it in Westwood, and the audience cheered for just about everything.

Live Free or Die Hard
Rod - *** 1/2 - For anyone who has seen and enjoyed the other Die Hard movies, the best part of this movie will be seeing Bruce Willis as John McClane. He slips back into this role easily, and you will forget there has been a long gap between III and IV. The action is great and fun to watch. But I think the biggest strength of the first movie (he's believable as an ordinary guy in a confined space, fighting the bad guys alone) is this movie's biggest weakness. As Live Free progresses, it becomes more outlandish and less believable. But suspend your disbelief and you will have a good time.

Esther - **** - I love the Die Hard series, and this movie was like visiting an old friend. What I learned from this movie is that nerds are cool. They can do anything with a cell phone and satellite/internet connection. They can even be taught John Mclane survival skills. I was thoroughly entertained and also in disbelief throughout the movie. The stunts were impressive but totally unbelievable. The things the nerds can do with computers are equally impressive and equally unbelievable. The movie was a little long, but I didn't mind.

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Rod - ** - I didn't see the first movie, so I came in with no expectations. The interaction between the four main characters was fun, but they didn't use their powers enough and there wasn't enough action. I've already forgotten a lot of what happened in this movie. The Silver Surfer is done well, but he was never a favorite of mine during my comic collecting years.

Ocean's 13
Esther - *** - I thought Ocean's 11 was a huge success. All-star cast, great story, great writing, great direction, great editing. Ocean's 12 was a free pay-day for the actors. Ocean's 13 is somewhere in the middle. I think the movie people really tried to make up for Ocean's 12 and got about 60% there. The story was better, and I didn't feel cheated like I did in the second movie. However, I didn't feel any sense of urgency because I never thought Ocean's gang would fail in this caper. This movie is like Sprite: it's fun, fizzy, effervescent and forgettable.

Rod - ** 1/2 - I agree that there was no sense of urgency. And it's also very forgettable. In fact, if we had reviewed this immediately after seeing the movie, I would have given it more stars, but by now (a month later) I don't remember anything about this movie.

Pirates of the Caribbean
Esther - *** - I was reminded a lot of the third installment in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy when I watched this movie. Overall, it was an OK movie, although it was quite long, went off on tangents and a little hokey at the end. But didn't everyone expect that? But as any third (and hopefully final) installment in a series, this movie provided closure (sort of). Johnny Depp, of course, is amazing, and the rest of the cast is about average. The real stand-out in this movie, I think, is Captain Barbossa. He really is the quintessential pirate.

Rod - ** 1/2 - Almost the same review as Ocean's 13. We watched Pirates 2 on DVD for the first time the day before going to the theater to watch 3. I can't really remember what happened in each movie. There are plot points that are introduced then discarded. I mentioned editing before. This entire series could have used major trimming. I guess, like my Transformers bias, I should say I'm not a huge fan of this series. Great set pieces, but I never really became attached to any characters. I still like the ride, though.

Final Thoughts
Esther - The hot LA summer is a perfect excuse for escaping into a movie theater. Here are all the other summer movies I want to see: Harry Potter, No Reservations, License to Wed, Now I Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, The Bourne Ultimatum, Rush Hour 3.

Rod - These summer movies have been fun to watch and easy to forget. I suppose that should be expected during this season. But don't let us have the final say. Share your thoughts about these movies and others you've seen this summer. And keep it up as more movies are released... perhaps we should have a special Harry Potter post, on the movie and the book.