So here we are. School has started, the homework is already beginning to pile up and the trees are losing their leaves. This is fall, baby! But before we get into watching those fall dramas, let’s look back on some of the best and the worst movies of the incredibly successful ’07 summer season. Action & Adventure The new summer blockbuster, “Transformers” was the third highest grossing movie this summer. But did it deserve it? In my opinion, no. Looking past the fact that Michael Bay (probably the worst director in Hollywood) directed it, “Transformers” really had nothing good about it. The acting was sub-par. The action scenes were zoomed in so far and had so much going on in them that it was impossible to figure out what was happening. Oh, and the script was absolute trash. I understand that “Transformers” wasn’t trying to be an Oscar-winning movie, but it just had too many glaring faults for it to be a fun popcorn film. Instead, I left the theater feeling shocked that people actually liked it. The final action movie to come out during the summer season was none other than “The Bourne Ultimatum.” It’s the type of sequel that makes the previous two movies better because it was such a huge success. The way “Ultimatum” skilfully weaves past and present story lines together is truly genius. While Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) attempts to remember his past, he breaks into CIA operatives’ offices in Spain, runs through London’s underground and dodges bullets on the rooftops of Tangiers. All of these beautifully shot action scenes were accompanied by a solid script and a completely engaging plot. “Ultimatum” definitley has all of the elements of a perfect action movie. Winner: The Bourne Ultimatum Family Following the successes of movie musicals such as “High School Musical” and Dreamgirls, Hollywood turned a Broadway hit into the blockbuster “Hairspray.” Tracy Turnblad (played by newcomer Nikki Blonsky) preaches tolerance and self-confidence by singing and dancing her way onto Baltimore’s hit show, “The Corny Collins Show.” The singing and dancing, as well as colorful set designs and costumes, have entertained kids and adults alike. It’s a fun, goofy look at some serious subjects such as obesity and racism. My only complaint is that the acting sometimes falls a little short; in particular, John Travolta playing a woman just doesn’t do it for me. If the directors wanted some laughs, they should have gotten the original Broadway actor, Harvey Fierstein, to play the role rather than a “bigger name” like Travolta. Pixar’s newest film, “Ratatouille,” puts a rat named Remy (voiced by Patton Oswald) in a very sticky situation. Despite the fact the he’s a rat, Remy loves to cook, and through his culinary talents, he helps a young chef rise in the ranks of a famous Paris bistro. Directed by Brad Bird (the same guy who brought you “The Incredibles”), Ratatouille is both funny and serious overall, a heartwarming family film. The animation has never been better, and the story is completely captivating. Even though the idea of a rat cooking is a little bit disgusting, Ratatouille has already become one of my favorite animations of all time. Winner: Ratatouille Comedy “Knocked Up,” written and directed by the same guy who brought you “The 40 Year Old Virgin” (Judd Apatow), follows the events before and after loser Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) and career-woman Alison Scott (Kathrine Heigl) have a one-night stand that leaves a bun in the oven. This relatively simple plot provides terrific entertainment. It’s charming, witty, enthralling and definitely hilarious. I could watch this movie 20 times and the jokes would still make me laugh. The characters are developed brilliantly and Heigl and Rogen work perfectly on screen together. There hasn’t been a better comedy since “Little Miss Sunshine.” Apatow has created another huge success. Sharing many of the same actors as “Knocked Up,” “Superbad” was released into theaters at the very end of the summer months. Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera) are best friends who, after getting invited to a party, volunteer to buy and bring the alcohol in hopes of wooing the clothes off of some girls. This new take on the “teen comedy” is raunchy, awkward, funny and a little gross at times. It’s more thoughtfully planned out than any of the “American Pie” movies and attempts to rise above the typical stupid humor that comes with the genre. However, Seth Rogan and his buddies began writing this movie at age 13, and it shows. While it tries to do a lot of good, the movie can sometimes drag on. It’s a little amateurish in comparison with their other work. Winner: Knocked Up So, there you have it: six of 2007’s supreme list of movies. All in all, it was a profitable and, more importantly, entertaining summer. Studios put out good, solid films throughout the entirety of the summer, allowing Hollywood to bounce back from the disappointing past seasons and to earn record revenue. The constant flow of blockbusters kept audience members, including myself, very happy. Now, as we get into the first weeks of the fall season, get ready for the Oscar-worthy films to hit theaters soon. Summer might be over, but there still is a whole lot to look forward to.
