Ever since Jaws was released 35 years ago, summer has been a time for big-budget movies that deliver big entertainment. But as the years have passed, studios’ definition of “summer” has loosened significantly, to the point where some movies that would normally be considered summer blockbusters are released in April. This is great for people who want to see more movies sooner, but not so much for fans of air conditioned theaters on hundred-degree days. Fewer and fewer quality movies are being released in the summer. Luckily, this summer has given us two major exceptions to this trend.
On June 18, Pixar released their latest masterpiece on the world with Toy Story 3. Not only did they figure out a way to make a great sequel, but they went and topped it with a third part. I can’t remember a film series that wasn’t adapted from some other source that had such strong quality control after three movies and fifteen years. This movie had me sucked in from the first frame. The story – of growing up and trying to hold on to your childhood, of growing old and losing your connection with your loved ones – is told with remarkable emotion and maturity, especially for a “kids movie” (though we all know Pixar abandoned that label long ago). The twists are surprising, the victories are thrilling, and the lows are heartbreaking. The final half hour of the film deserves an award all on its own, and it still has me tearing up from time to time.
***** of 5
July brought us Christopher Nolan’s newest work, and after Memento, The Prestige and The Dark Knight, there was really no doubt that Inception was going to be good. The only detractor against the movie might have been its advertising, because the TV commercials and posters told you next to nothing about the story except that, at one point, a city folds over itself. What actually unfolds onscreen – mental experts constructing dreams for unsuspecting clients and trying to plant ideas in their subconscious – is imaginative and captivating. The movie is remarkably easy to follow, especially considering how many layers there are to the dreams as the plot progresses. The intrigue of Leonardo DiCaprio’s character trying to escape the demons he has formed after years of dream manipulation adds to the urgency of the action, and the final scene of the movie, however you want to interpret it, is a brilliant wink and nod to everything the viewer has just experienced.
****1/2 of 5