Summer 2015 Capsule Movie Reviews

In the past I’ve written a few mini-reviews of films after seeing them in theater, but this year I’ve been too tired or busy to type my impressions. So better late than never here are three micro-reviews of films I’ve seen this summer at the nearby Spring Grove Cinema.

Jurassic World

First a disclaimer has to be made: I’ve never been a fan of the franchise despite being a kaiju and science fiction lover. The first flick was entertaining, if not very memorable, and what little I saw of the sequels they were pretty abysmal. This opinion puts me in a tiny minority, of course. So it was with low expectations I went into the darkened theater to watch dinosaurs once again run amok.

Expecting a popcorn based confection with no style or substance, I was very surprised to find a genuinely tasty plot blended perfectly with intelligent action along with surprising amounts of emotional moments. Likeable characters played by Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard carried the movie mainly due to a very cookie cutter villain played by Vince D’Onofrio (see Daredevil on Netflix to see what he’s really capable of) and a mixed effort by the supporting cast.

Special mention has to be made about the two nephew characters since they managed to avoid the “annoying brats” we normally see in films. Their character arcs are fully realized with just a touch of poignancy courtesy of the domestic strife they are going through. They also get some of the best lines.

The main attraction of the sequel is the spectacle of seeing a massive tourist park under attack and that does get fully realized in scenes that recall horror/disaster movies from the 1970s. In fact, much of the movie structure reminded me of films of that era in a good way. Interlaced throughout are call backs to the original movie via nostalgic touches guaranteed to make parents glad they accompanied their children for a couple hours of entertainment.

CG is a touchy subject these days due to a lot of poor quality making it into blockbuster movies. I’m pleased to report the work done here is superb and never takes you out of suspension of disbelief.

Of note is that consequences of what happens to the tourist park is not glossed over in the ending, the setting of which reminded me of Godzilla’s from last year. Additionally, the way the sequels have been set up free the franchise from the island format, if they so choose. That could make for a very fresh take on dinosaurs on the loose.

Jurassic World is true PG-13, though I think plenty of ten year olds would be able to handle the film as long as their parents are present. There is mild gore involving dinosaurs and yes, a lot of people get killed.

I liked the movie a lot and unlike Jurassic Park, I’ll be getting this on Blu-ray at some point. It is a superior movie in nearly every facet to the original, which was mainly popular due to ground breaking special effects. Recommended to all dinosaur fans, action film buffs, and fans of ‘70s disaster movies.

Minions

This follow up to the Despicable Me films was a no brainer to be green lit, though if it were a Disney property they would have sent it straight to video. Thankfully, it is put out by another studio so we got another solid theatrical release from the creators of Gru. The long and short of it is: if you liked the previous two movies, you’ll like this one.

Any worries that the yellow servants of the super villain couldn’t carry a film by themselves were quickly dismissed by the opening credits and prologue explaining their origins. Apparently immortal, they spontaneously evolved to serve the strongest beast in the area with hilariously tragic consequences. After losing a famous, if rather short, human leader at Waterloo, the minions went into artic exile until it became necessary to find another boss to follow.

Set in 1968, the movie follows a trio of minions traveling to America and then England in their quest for a boss to adore. Scarlet Overkill appears to be the perfect choice, but we all know their future, don’t we? By the way, the soundtrack is superb, featuring some of the best rock and pop of the era.

While not as heartful as watching Gru bond with his three girls, the movie is just as funny and I wish I could have recorded the kids in the theater giggling helplessly at the end of flick. Minions is a great film for the family and I highly recommend it to all humans, especially those who desire to take over the world.

Ant-Man

Again I should warn that my opinion doesn’t match the masses when it comes to which Marvel movies are the best. My top two are the Captain America films and now coming in third is this smaller entry into the Marvel movie mythos.

Make no mistake about it, the movie is smaller in focus and that isn’t just the shrinking ability granted by the suit. At it’s core, the movie intertwines two major themes with the first being the relationship between father and daughter. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and his semi-estranged adult daughter Hope (Evangeline Lilly) contrast with our protagonist Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and his seven year old Cassie. Because of their daughters, both men are seeking the second theme, redemption.

The two themes drive the movie’s plot and character interactions. While there is a lot of good action in the movie, it takes a backseat to character development or is used to serve that development. Kids may find themselves bored with some of the movie as a result, but for mature adults it adds a great deal to the audience experience.

Special effects are very good, better than The Avengers: Age of Ultron in fact. Physics plays a big part in making what’s seen amazing, but it is the simple joy of seeing everyday things from the size perspective of an ant that makes it so much fun. I’m really impressed with the effects with the ants being some of the best.

Light comedy is sprinkled throughout, however it isn’t to the degree that Guardians of the Galaxy exhibited. Other than some scatological swearing, the content is suitable for kids in the double digits and up. Filled with a lot of heart much like Captain America: The First Avenger, I think this is one of the best out of Marvel so far.

Please go see it, it deserves better box office totals than it has gotten. Recommended for family outings and to Avengers fans alike, this is a great flick destined to be overlooked.