Summer Movie Preview

by Jack Hutton

The summer film season usually showcases the biggest, brightest, and loudest movies of the year. This summer looks to be no different. Already in the midst of the season, here is a look at the upcoming films that you should consider.

In Theaters Now

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - Although not a very good film, Transformers is entertaining, and that’s all it needs to be in order to be liked. Ultimately people will go see this film for the large explosions and Megan Fox (the giant robots fighting each other is just a bonus). The common moviegoer will be thrilled by this two hundred million dollar Michael Bay action fest. Still, its frustrating that that the story could not have been better. The dialogue is terrible and the story is shallow, stupid, and riddled with clichés. There is a very good chance that the screenwriters gave one of their eight-year-old sons a box full of action figures, told him to play for two and a half hours, and then simply wrote down the madness that ensued from the imaginations of a child. However, there is constant comic relief that refreshingly distracts the audience from the marred plot. But on further examination, much of the humor is not really that funny and the film goes for cheap laughs involving crude humor and borderline racism. By far the most controversial aspect of the film is the incorporation of a pair of comic relief robots named Mudflap and Skids who, quite arguably, represent many negative black stereotypes. The inclusion of these characters has caused a great uproar across the country against the makers of the films. Although director Michael Bay argues that people are reading too much into this, it certainly would have been more prudent of him to be more sensitive to the public’s interpretations. Overall the movie is flawed. It’s too long, unoriginal, and at times offensive. But Transformers does succeed in what it set out to be: a mindless summer action flick that can be enjoyed my almost everyone and will make a lot of money because of that.

Up – If you haven’t seen this movie yet, it is strongly encouraged that you do before it leaves theaters. Unlike previous Pixar movies that are marketed as family films but are for the most part children’s films, Up truly is a film meant for people of all ages. Although there is plenty of classic childish humor, in reality adults will relate to the film best. The bittersweet tale of an old man carrying out the life long dream of his recently departed wife is beautifully crafted and moving.

July 10th

Bruno- Looking forward, this is possibly the most anticipated movie of the summer. already Bruno is shaping up to be the funniest movie of the year. This mockumentary stars Sacha Baron Cohen as Bruno, an Austrian homosexual fashion reporter. As with Cohen’s last film, Borat, and his “The Ali G Show,” the basic premise of the film is that Cohen interacts with various individuals and groups of people who do not realize that the over the top flamboyant Bruno is a fictitious character. After the widely popular and highly controversial Borat, it will be interesting to see if Cohen can make a movie that is even more outrageous.

July 15th

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – There is no need to describe this Film. You will probably see it.