This summer, my parents and I went to see a few movies together. We picked the ones that were highly anticipated and that we thought would be pretty good. Thankfully, we were right! All of them were great and I'd highly recommend seeing them while they're still in theatres, or at least when they're out on DVD. No spoilers ahead, just overall opinions of the films!
The Amazing Spider-Man
This movie was very well made. A good length, it kept you entertained throughout. If I can (not to offend any Tobey Macguire lovers), I'd say that this film version of the Spider-man story was much more enjoyable to watch than the 2003 trilogy. Firstly, better actors and better on-screen chemistry between the two lead actors. Also, the stunts were just as exciting. A few things varied: this new film sticks to the comic book storyline of Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy as high school lovers, instead of Peter and Mary-Jane Watson in the earlier adaptation. I liked that the filmmakers wanted to stay true to the original story. Overall, if you can look past the slightly cheesy Lizard as the movie's antagonist, it's a pretty good movie. I'd say get it on DVD if you're interested and watch in theatres if you enjoy high action films on the big screen!
The Dark Knight Rises
The third installment of Chris Nolan's Batman trilogy was everything I expected it to be! Great storyline, better actors, and awesome and huge stunts. The plot keeps you pretty engaged throughout the almost-3-hour-long film (yeah), however the only thing was that in the middle of the movie, there was a bit of lag. However, by the end, it picks back up with some unexpected plot twists. Christian Bale was great, as usual, with some amazing performances from Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Marion Cotillard. Anne Hathaway surprised me - I didn't think she'd be a good Catwoman, but she pulled it off! I'd definitely see this movie if you're a fan of the series anyway, because this is by far the best film of the trilogy. If you're only partly interested, get it on DVD so you can take a break in the middle to rest from this extremely long film. Highly recommended if you like a great story and better action.
Brave
My mom was the one who really wanted to see this film, and her enthusiasm caught on to me. We went to see it this morning, and it was amazing! This is probably my favorite Disney film, most likely because it's not based on a fairy tale. It defies all of the Disney stereotypes: dead/evil mother, weak heroine, prince coming to save his princess, etc. The main character, Merida, fends for herself like a true heroine! She's brave. I won't give anything away, but it's a great family story, more about the connection between Merida and her parents and her dreams vs. what they want for her. Great animation, great story. Also, this film isn't just for the little ones! I think everyone would enjoy it; it's funny, cute, and, at times, it's guaranteed to make you tear up. Whatever you do, watch it!!
Well, hopefully this helped you guys decide which movies might be fun to watch during this long summer.
I'll be doing a short post next week reviewing The Bourne Legacy, as I've made plans to see it with my sister when she comes home :)
Elena
