Best Movie: ‘Inception’BY WILL MALONE Entertainment Editor
Watching “Inception” was like being born again. I walked into it knowing next to nothing about the plot, but for some reason, I just knew this movie was going to be nothing short of revolutionary. I left the theater completely floored and all I wanted to do was go right back inside and do it all over again. My eyes were opened to a world that was an absolutely new and original thought that made complete sense.
One of the many great things about writer/director Christopher Nolan is that he goes to great lengths to make sure his movies appear as real as possible. The state-of-the-art visual effects are a sight to behold, specifically the scene where Joseph Gordon-Levitt fights a man in a hallway and they wind up falling up and down walls and rooms. I’ve never seen anything like it.
The thrill of “Inception” was more intense and fun than any movie I have seen in a long time. The cinematic experience must be comparable to what it was like seeing “Star Wars” in 1977 or “The Matrix” in 1999. Films like this don’t come around often, and it would be a grave mistake to let this movie pass you by. It was an absolute privilege to have been able to watch a master artist’s work. That is precisely what “Inception” is – a masterpiece.
Worst Movie: ‘Splice’ BY WILL MALONE Entertainment Editor
I have never been good at math. Math is just an area of life that I have no understanding of. I also don’t understand how to drive a manual automobile. There are a lot of things I don’t understand, but there is one thing that stumps me most of all: how did “Splice” ever receive a single positive review. Let me be as clear on this as I can: “Splice” is the dumbest movie I have paid money to see. This movie makes “Baby Geniuses” look like “Citizen Kane.” I get no gratification from bashing movies, but I feel obligated to mankind as a whole from keeping people as far away as possible from this one.
Oscar winner Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley play Clive and Elsa, genetic engineers who become famous for splicing DNA from different animals to create new beings. Somehow becoming bored with the breakthroughs they have achieved, they secretly conduct an experiment in their lab by splicing human DNA with that of other animals. After this, the girl/rat/fish/kangaroo/dragon creature Dren is born. Dren begins aging rapidly, developing into a teenager in a matter of weeks.
What follows is some of the best unintentional comedy I have ever seen. There are spoilers ahead, but please, for your own sake, keep reading. The scientists sneak Dren out of the lab and take it to a farm out in the woods. In no time, Clive has sex with the thing. Long story short, Dren spontaneously turns into a man-creature, rapes Elsa in the woods and impregnates her.
Had “Splice” been marketed as a comedy, I would have enjoyed myself thoroughly. I never knew if the film was trying to be a comedy or a sci-fi thriller.
At no point in the film was I scared or thrilled, but along with everyone in the theater, I was laughing for all the wrong reasons.
Worst Movie: ‘Sex and the City 2’ BY HANNAH ROGERS Assistant News Editor
There is a difference between giving fans closure and pumping them for money at every turn. HBO’s run of “Sex and the City” ended on a high note for the series and the characters. The first movie, while unnecessary, created enough conflict and happily-ever-after resolutions to thrill the followers of the show once again.
However, the second movie showed how far the series has truly fallen. Instead of finding real plot lines they could explore, the writers of the film came up with petty problems for Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) that made both of them seem like ungrateful harpies. Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), who actually could have had an interesting storyline, was pushed to the sidelines as Samantha (Kim Cattrall) spent her time whining about her declining youth instead of acting even half her age.
The film was so mean-spirited and self-indulgent that it was joyless, tedious affair. The true problem was the pacing – the two-and-a-half-hour length provided no plot line or character development.
Best Movie: ‘Ramona and Beezus’ BY WENDY MORELL Opinion Editor
Besides the occasional Pixar film, it has been awhile since I’ve genuinely enjoyed a film while also feeling like I could bring a group of small children in with me. But this summer’s film, Ramona and Beezus, was an entertaining movie for all ages.
Based on Beverly Cleary’s beloved “Ramona” book series, Ramona and Beezus documents the adventures of 8-year-old Ramona Quimby and highlights familiar childhood experiences from making huge mistakes to fighting with your sibling to developing a meaningful relationship with a parent.
Joey King and Selena Gomez costar as sisters Ramona and Beezus, respectively, but the real emphasis of the film is on the relationship between Ramona and her father, portrayed by John Corbett. Both do an excellent job of demonstrating a touching relationship that can exist between father and daughter.
The humor in the film is for all ages, and the acting is top-notch. If you need a family-friendly film to watch, this summer’s Ramona and Beezus would definitely do the job.
Best Movie: ‘Toy Story 3’ BY HANNAH ROGERS Assistant News Editor
Though most of the original audience for Pixar’s classic movies “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2” has grown up, “Toy Story 3” still became one of the biggest hits of the summer – and with good reason. Even though the heroes of the story are made of plastic and cloth, they still manage to be characters the audience, despite age, can follow on a journey.
Pixar manages to make the final chapter in the trilogy the best of the three. The film isn’t as lighthearted as the other two, but the depth of emotion makes it as gripping as any indie drama. Even though viewers would have shown up in droves to anything featuring Woody (Tom Hanks) or Buzz (Tim Allen), it’s a testament to the filmmakers’ respect for the story that they took time to craft a plot worth following.
The beginning of the movie brought back memories of the previous “Toy Story” films, created a thrilling escape heist chilled spines during the junkyard sequence and caused tears to be produced at the satisfactory conclusion. The film is nearly perfect – the script is sharp, the voice acting brings the animation to life and the CGI is colorful and well done.
Films like “Toy Story 3” prove a good movie is a good movie, no matter what medium it was created in or what time of the year it is released. It deserves every award and praise it receives.
Worst Movie: ‘Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ BY HANNAH ROGERS Assistant News Editor
Remakes aren’t always a bad thing. However, for remakes to be decent, those involved with the film actually have to work to make it good and simply can’t rely on nostalgia.
“The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” a remake of the Mickey Mouse segment of “Fantasia,” is a poorly constructed remake on every level possible.
The story follows typical New York University physics student Dave (Jay Baruchel) as he learns of his destiny and becomes the new apprentice to Balthazar (Nicolas Cage), a powerful sorcerer.
As the duo battles the forces of evil, the movie turns to cliches, poorly written dialogue and overblown effects instead of actually having a plot.
While Nicolas Cage has been known for his acting skills, he is the worst actor in this movie.
He seems bored in every scene and delivers his lines in the same tone of voice throughout the entire movie.
The script doesn’t help him – almost every line Balthazar utters begins with the word ‘Dave.’ Toward the middle of the film, it begins to sound like a broken record.
Half-baked jokes replace humor, which is a shame because Baruchel can be hilarious when he is given the right material.
Plot holes abound and the climax isn’t as exciting as even a bad special effects movie should be – the heroes win way too easily. Physics mumbo jumbo is thrown in to explain the magic but makes no logical sense. The “romance” seems thrown in to please tween girls who went to see “Twilight.”
It’s simply a mix of other, better films jumbled up into a driveling mess.
Next time Disney wants to make money on its blockbusters during the summer season, the company should actually come up with a movie worth seeing.