Superman, Oz, Fast and Furious 6, and many many others.

So,
The summer of 2013 stands to be one of the largest box office bashes in the history of film. Iron Man 3, Superman, Wolverine, Pacific Rim. World War Z, FF6, Star Trek Into Darkness, White House Down, and soooooo many more it seems that this summer can't fail ooooooooor can it?

Iron Man 3: 

Robert Downey Jr. is an acting god and it seems that no matter what he is placed in, he will shine. Sadly it takes more than one man to make a film. Now I'm not saying Iron Man 3 was a bad film, but it really wasn't all that great either. Now for a ten year old kid, Iron Man 3 was everything it was supposed to be and ten times more. Hard hitting action, wicked cool effects, the parade of new suits and the wicked cool bad guys who can do all sorts of things feed a ten year old appetite, but for the older viewers there has to be something more.

Let's take first thing first: the sense of finality.

So any nerd with an internet connection knows about the conflicts RDJ has had with the big wigs who produce the Marvel films. This sensation carried over into the film and through out the entire film there is a sense of finality that screams " I WILL NOT PLAY IRON MAN AGAIN!" Now while this can be missed by younger viewers, older viewers can't help but feel cheated with the Avengers sequel just on the horizon. In turn this cheated sensation spills over when dealing with the plot's take on the villains of the film, most notably The Mandarin. Add that plus a fire breathing Guy Pearce and by the end of the film one is thinking "Well, this is a good film, but couldn't I get more?"

To fire off anything more would be to give away a lot of film. So I rate this at a solid 3.5 stars. It's good, just not what we've come to expect from Iron Man.



Star Trek: Into Darkness

I am personally a huge Star Trek fan and I can honestly say JJ Abrams is a genius! Into Darkness is everything it's supposed to be and ten times more. Along with the stellar cast, this film gives Trekkies something to stand up and scream about. Add into the mixture Benedict Cumberbatch as the villain and you invent a gun that just can't miss. The action in the film is well paced and not over powering, the drama within each scene is not only well presented but feels heartfelt and real. There really isn't anything more to say about this, not that I would want to as each head turning surprise in the film is actually head turning. Star Trek into Darkness is a FIVE STAR FILM!!


Fast and Furious Six:

Okay, so in the past I've taken alot of flak for being a fan of this franchise, even more for being a Vin Diesel fan but honestly Fast and Furious Six kicks ass. The film is a little far fetched with its stunts and some of the action is a little too heavy in the CGI department, but the director and cast provide lots of love for true fans who remember the good, the bad, and the ugly the Fast and Furious films have provided. The new edition to this is Luke Evans who play's Shaw, a cold and calculated mercenary who manages to turn Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) to the dark side of crime. It is the revelation of Letty being alive that Agent Hobbs uses to get the old Fast and Furious team in gear and across the big water to Europe. So to keep the formula in check you take bad boy icons, such as the Rock and Vin, add fast cars and then multiply with guns and you have a very entertaining film that is exactly what it is supposed to be, an action film. All in all the film was not perfect, but it was a welcomed dose of kick ass and in the end a solid four star film.

Man of Steel :

If I had to say there is one film that I've been waiting for all summer it was Man of Steel. From the get go there is always a little hesitation when it comes to Superman and "reinventing" the franchise. Brandon Routh and Bryan Singer learned this the hard way with the box office failure Superman Returns. Man Of Steel further complicates because direction Zach Snyder and David S. Goyer decide to change and redefine some of the comic standards in which Superman comes to be and how the world receives him. Now that alone is enough for alot of geeks to walk out cursing but be still young ones, Man Of Steel is worth the understanding. Start off with Russel Crowe as Jor-El, Michael Shannon as General Zod and then rewrite the world of Krypton and how she met her end and you have a more plot driven film that has both hard hitting drama and harder hitting action that pulls angry geeks back into the seats.

The point I loved most about this new film is the back story and the masterful way in which Director Zach Snyder manages to pull modern actions with flashbacks of Superman's past and history. Henry Cavill is outstanding as the Man of Steel and Amy Adams shines as Louis Lane as the two stand off against the old world of Krypton and fight for planet Earth. While the film was not as great as Avengers it still was a June standout and good enough for Man of Steel 2 to be in the works. Man of Steel is a solid four star movie.



Hangover III

If you're anything like me you loved Hangover and hated Hangover II. The second film just was a bad, and a I do mean bad, copy of the first film. Well writer and director Todd Phillips took the advice of the audience and completely took Hangover III in a new direction. Funny, action filled, gag reflex, and bust out laughter are some constant symptoms of this film and I promise you some surprises for the fans of the first film. Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifiankis are all stand outs as the Wolf Pack as they head into the desert to take Alan to a rehab program after his father passes away. From that point on the film takes this wild roller coaster ride that takes the crew from a desert highway to Mexico and back to the dreaded Las Vegas to end a film trio that is full of surprises and satisfaction. Hangover III is a solid four star film that reaches into the five star range.


Oz The Great and Powerful:  

Now when it comes to adding to or reinventing family classics I and most other people have never been fans. Tim Burton's huge bomb in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was proof enough of one should never mess with a classic and admittedly I felt the same way about Sam Raimi and his desire to do the prequel to The Wizard of Oz. I'm happy to report I was very wrong.

The film is about Oz, a con man, womanizer, and magician, who finds himself stranded in the world of OZ after his hot air balloon is sucked into a tornado over Kansas. James Franco shines as the fool behind the curtain learns that not all things are as they seem in OZ. The film also stars Mila Kunis and Michelle Williams who play the good and evil sides of the rainbow as Oz haphazardly dedicates himself to saving the land of OZ from the Evil witch Evenora played by Rachel Weisz. The film is beautifully mastered and full of life and color as Raimi takes from both the film and the original text to weave a tale that can make Disney proud. The film is a solid five star if you have kids and a solid four if you're just a fan of the films, but either way I highly recommend going to see this gem.



Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters 

Not even going to waste my time, like I wasted it when I watched this film in the first place. Standard, lacking in all things, and pretty much a crappy version of Van Helsing. A flat zero in my opinion with too many flaws to detail.



Well sports fans that's about it for me. Look on the horizon for future reviews, hopefully a little bit more frequently, and I hope your movie watching is just as awesome has mine has been.




Just my thoughts.
J.