Let me first admit that I knew nothing of this “trilogy” until news about Before Midnight began showing up everywhere, newspapers, websites, etc. After seeing people passionately talk about it for months, I decided to check out the first two movies, Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, for myself. Since this is about Before Midnight and not the first two movies, all I will say here is that they absolutely blew me away. Before Midnight continues the strong tradition of the first two movies by providing the most intimate and realistic depiction of a relationship I have ever seen in any medium, bar none. The impeccable performances by Hawke and Deply, as well as the flawless script and simple direction by Richard Linklater, easily made this my favorite movie of the summer. It certainly isn’t the most “fun” or visually spectacular film of the summer but it hits you hard… repeatedly, where it counts most, and that makes it worth seeing. While you could easily see this film without seeing the first two and still appreciate it, I strongly recommend against that. This is a movie about a relationship that has grown and changed over 18 years and without the background provided by the first two films, the full emotional resonance will be lost. While this movie didn’t technically come out during the summer, it got its widest theatrical release in June so I think that counts.
2. This is the End
I would be shocked if This Is The End does not remain my favorite comedy of 2013. It is extremely well made, funny, and actually heartfelt. The dialogue is hilarious throughout, with very few of the jokes falling flat. It also thankfully avoided showing us all of the good jokes in the trailers unlike many movies today, making it surprisingly fresh. The movie takes the now over-used apocalypse plot and makes it feel new again by showing it in a comedic tone instead of a super-serious, gritty portrayal of doom and gloom. The all star comedic cast all hold their own in the film but Craig Robinson and Jonah Hill stand out. This is vulgar laugh out loud comedy, not toned down witty comedy. This is the kind of comedy in which there are many penis, vomit, and semen jokes, but the cast and story lift this comedy higher than most. The bottom line though, is that this movie is funny and having seen it multiple times in theaters, I can attest that it holds up to repeat viewings easily. See this one with a bunch of friends and be ready to laugh… a lot.
3. Pacific Rim
Go in expecting Mechs vs. Monsters and walk away with a big smile on your face. Pacific Rim sets out to depict epic battles between humanity and extraterrestrial invaders and it does that in spades. The special effects in this movie are outstanding and honestly need to be seen on the biggest screen possible. The story is simple yet told in such an in depth and creative way that this fantastical world of Jaegers (human powered mechs) and Kaiju (alien monsters) seems pretty real. But for those who have seen a movie directed by Guillermo Del Toro already know that he is incredible at world building and making things like monsters seem real and not cheesy, especially in the Hellboy movies. The action in this movie is some of the best action I have ever seen in film with near perfect framing and choreography. While the visuals and concept are great, the acting is not always the best but it honestly doesn’t matter. I didn’t go into Pacific Rim hoping to see an Academy Award worthy performance, I went to see mechs fighting giant monsters and that was exactly what I got. This movie made me feel like a kid again because it is exactly the kind of movie a younger version of myself would have worshipped. But just because a younger version of myself would have loved this movie, that doesn’t mean adults can’t enjoy it as well. Pacific Rim is a visually stunning, action packed ride that should be enjoyed by everyone (particularly on the biggest screen and best sound system you can get your hands on).
4. The Wolverine
The Wolverine instantly dropped off my radar once Darren Aronofsky left the project. I was so excited to see a small, serious, and dark look at the iconic Marvel character that I thought Aronofsky would bring that I completely lost interest in the film once James Mangold signed on. I can now admit that my doubt was completely unwarranted as Mangold has delivered an awesome Wolverine movie. It is a small movie for sure as the plot revolves around a wealthy family in Tokyo rather than the destruction of the universe, making this superhero movie feel incredibly fresh. The action scenes in the movie are exhilarating including an intense battle at a traditional Japanese funeral and the much touted bullet train sequence. Hugh Jackman continues to completely own this role despite the fact that he could easily do this role in his sleep and the supporting actors hold their weight as well, except for one. Svetlana Khodchenkova seemed completely uninterested and out of touch with her character Viper. In such a serious movie, the character sticks out like a sore thumb with her over the top performance and cartoony character design. The pacing is great throughout and there is never a dull moment yet it doesn’t exhaust you with constant action. It’s a comic book movie in which the characters actually sit down and talk to each other, making the characters much easier to connect to. This is the kind of film we all wanted to see back in 2009 when we instead got the incredibly disappointing X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
5. Star Trek Into Darkness
The final spot on my “best of” list came down to two movies with mysterious villains and ultimately Star Trek: Into Darkness narrowly beat out Iron Man 3. Into Darkness wins the spot by being the more consistently entertaining experience of the two. This movie is loud, bright, and in your face for it’s most of it’s two-hour plus runtime without many moments of downtime but it is just so exciting and visually stimulating that it doesn’t ever feel like an issue. The set pieces in this movie are so well done that you immediately want to see them over again as soon as they end. J.J. Abrams and crew’s use of practical effects and actual sets really elevate the look of this film over movies that rely too heavily on CGI. The performances are just as good as they were in the first film and the cast are beginning to really own these roles. This may not be the Star Trek of old and that may upset some die hard fans but for those of us who are new to the franchise, this is another fantastic entry into this beloved franchise. After seeing Into Darkness, I cannot wait to see what J.J. Abrams can do with the traditionally more action oriented Star Wars franchise in 2015.
Movies I Saw That Didn’t Make the List: Iron Man 3, Man of Steel, Monsters University, Elysium, We’re The Millers, Fast & Furious 6,The Great Gatsby, and Now You See Me.
Movies I Wanted to See But Didn’t: Fruitvale Station, The Way, Way Back, World War Z, The Conjuring, and Much Ado About Nothing.
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