Summer has now officially come and gone, bringing a somewhat lackluster end to an exciting summer movie season.
#3. “The Amazing Spider-Man”
This film is definitely a more faithful interpretation of the character and the comics than the entire Sam Raimi trilogy combined. I ranked it at number three because it didn’t have as much of an impact on me as a viewer.
It’s a great film, but it didn’t have the “wow” factor going for it as seen in the other two superhero films.
#2. “The Dark Knight Rises”
Before the legion of Nolanites break down my door and lynch me for this perceived cinematic sacrilege, I must address a few flaws with the film, both from a film perspective and from a comic perspective.
It does bring a nice conclusion to the emotional journey we’ve taken with Bruce Wayne, but there are issues with how certain parts of the film were edited as well as being beaten over the head with its heavy chanting score in places that didn’t warrant it.
#1. “The Avengers”
While both this film and “The Dark Knight Rises” can’t and shouldn’t be compared side by side, I place “The Avengers” at number one because I feel that it managed to find a nice balance between gripping drama and some of the goofier elements of superhero films.
It didn’t try to copy Christopher Nolan nor did it try to become campy. It focused on how the previously established characters interact with one another and how they have to come together as a team which made it feel more like a superhero film. While Nolan’s films can be considered more of a character study of Batman, “The Avengers” feels more inline with what a superhero film should be.
Since many other critics will no doubt be creating their own countdowns of their favorite releases, I figured I might as well do the same.
For the purpose of this article, I’ll leave off the three superhero movies released this summer.. This is mostly due to the fact that if I didn’t, this article would be based on my excitement as a comic book fan rather than an actual analysis.
#3. “Ted”
Now while I didn’t personally enjoy this movie as much as others, I do have to admit that despite it’s flaws, it’s proven successful at the box office, raking in over $50 million in it’s opening weekend.
Seth MacFarlane’s first foray in to feature-length films has undoubtedly opened a new door for him, much to the chagrin of FOX which relies on MacFarlane’s comedy for most of the primetime revenue on Sunday evenings.
As for the film itself, it may have had too many bad jokes, but the good jokes that were in the film give you something to look forward to should you watch it in a dollar theater or on Netflix with your buddies. A good chunk of the movie could have been cut down, but I was still entertained despite some of the occasional frustrated sighing I exhibited.
#2. “Prometheus”
This film had a lot going for it, but then took a nose dive during the third act. It also tried to sever ties to the “Alien” franchise that was created by director Ridley Scott. There was a great attention to detail in the visual design, and the characters had their lovable quirks.
What lost me was the massive exposition dump in the third act and several of the unanswered questions left by the film for the purpose of generating speculation and hype for the potential sequels.
So why is this film in the number two slot? Despite its flaws with the story, it at least showed more effort behind the film that what could be said for “Ted.”
Although it shows that the film was meant to be a prequel to “Alien,” they at least tried to make it hold its own. However, I’m one of those people who believe that if it was meant to be a prequel, then just make it a prequel.
#1. “Snow White and the Huntsman”
I know I’ll probably get a lot of flack for placing this film above “Prometheus,” but I placed this film at number one because it had fewer flaws present than the ones in “Prometheus.”
The major flaws of this film were the lack of focus on our “assumed” protagonist and its length.
The film’s strength lies in the layer of depth given to the villainess and to the world in which the story is set. The film has a unique visual style that is dark and gritty but is also balanced with the more fantastical, fairy-tale elements.
While the film was rushed due to the announcement of “Mirror Mirror,” the fact that it didn’t try to compete during the same weekend gave it the advantage.
If they gave better direction to the film’s star, Kristen Stewart, or had a more charismatic actress in the role, it would have been much stronger film.
Honorable Mentions: “Rock of Ages” and “Brave”
Next time on The Weekly Reel: Since it’s a long while before the next competitive movie season, we’ll take a look at what studios release during the off-season.
