Summer Cinema 2008!

It's been a great year for movies so far. At the end of the year I might have actually seen enough to produce a legitimate "Top 5" list, whereas most of the time I'm catching up with the oscar winners from last year.

But within the course of one week I hit the theater three times (and unlike some people I know, it wasn't to see Batman three different times), and I was surprisingly pleased on all occasions. Although after a week of move watching, I decided to forgo seeing Guellermo del Toro's Hellboy II until a later date.

Wall-E

I've gotten to the point where I turn my brain off when I see a computer animated film by any other studio. Nothing stands up to the extensively meticulous animation and the stories that are funny and engaging without any fart jokes.

And this one goes a step further, because for the first thirty minutes of film, there's no dialogue. I've heard praise and complaints about this portion of the film. I personally loved it, and actually liked the opening portion of the story better than when the humans entered the picture.

Only complaint, in a film about a robot cleaning up all of earth's garbage and an centuries-old effort to re-grow plan life on earth, I wish there had been some sort of moral, or takehome message.

The Dark Knight

Duna duna duna duna duna duna duna duna BATMAN!

It's one of those movies I knew I would love going into it, merely because I'm easily blinded by my favorite comic book characters put on the screen.

We'll put it this way, after the TERRIBLE X-Men: The Last Stand I kept going back and forth. It was terrible, but it had COLOSSUS! But it was TERRIBLE! But... but... it had Colossus!!!!

But what makes this one good is how it goes leaps and bounds above ideas merely touched on in other superhero cinema tragedies. I don't care how much they say Spider-man suffers in the film, or how much public danger is presented on the screen in that franchise - it was all done with a wink and a nod, and a smile on Toby Maguire's face.

This story was done with a stomp on your foot and a fist in your gut. I wanted an intermission, just to shake off the story a little bit, take a deep breath and head back in.

Prince Caspian

Last time I read Prince Caspian, I threw the book across the room. It just pissed me off. I couldn't get past the blatant sexism and the beat-you-over-the-head metaphor.

The film, which far and away exceeds its predecessor, takes several key characters and points in the film and twists them just enough to make them awesome.

The focus of the books, in my opinion, has always been far to focused on the ever-faithful Lucy and the brave-hearted Peter, ignoring doubtful-Edmund and a somewhat air-headed Susan.

Lucy remains ever faithful, but they present the risks of being nothing but good-hearted. Because no matter how nice you are, a bear might eat you. Peter's braveheartedness is transformed into stubborn bullheadedness. He's really seen as an antagonist to thoughtful consideration and reason.

Susan by contrast is seen as far more practical, and much more emotionally driven. Her thoughts and concerns come across more like the one person saying what was on everybody's mind.

But Edmond, my boy Edmond. He gets to take the role of the brains behind this whole thing. Peter's taken the same "High King" stance, but Edmond is always in charge of seeing the plans out, organizing the people and ensuring the safety of everyone concerned. Every time he walked on the screen, I wanted to cheer.

Added bonus: Eddie Izzard voiced Reepicheep, and the film ended with a song by Regina Spektor.

On to Hellboy II next!