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Summer Movie 2017 Checklist


On 08/01/2017 at 04:25 AM by Cary Woodham

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It’s that time of year again.  All the summer movies are out, and there are usually a few that interest me.  So here’s a list of the movies I’ve seen this summer, as well as the ones I wanted to see, but didn’t for whatever reason.  Oh and there might be some slight spoilers here and there, so you’ve been warned.

Guardians of the Galaxy 2

I guess technically this was a late spring movie, but I’m putting it on here anyway.  I went to see this movie with my dad’s side of the family for one of my brother’s birthdays.  We ate at one of those places where they serve food in the theater, and I got my drink in a Groot-shaped cup.  So it was a lot of fun.  The movie was definitely more cartoony than most Marvel films, including the first one, but I’m OK with that.  If it weren’t for all the penis jokes, I would say this movie would be great for kids, too.  My favorite part was near the end.  Let’s just say that Pac-Man pretty much saved the day.  No lie.

Wonder Woman

I don’t know anything about this comic book character at all.  I know she has a lasso and there was a Wonder Woman TV show in the 70’s, and the main character in that would spin around and around to turn into Wonder Woman (I bet there were a lot of dizzy little girls in the 70s).  But that’s all I know.  That doesn’t stop me from going to see these movies anyway.  I didn’t know if I’d even see this one at all, but I’m glad I did because I thought it was pretty good.  The majority of the movie is set during World War 1, which was pleasantly surprising as you don’t see too many movies based during this time anymore.  I only wish they had more airplanes in the movie.  I really like WW1 biplanes for some reason, and Snoopy as the WW1 Flying Ace was always my favorite part of Peanuts.  Not sure if that’s really true to Wonder Woman’s origin story in the comics, but it doesn’t matter to me since I don’t know about that stuff.   I also thought it was neat that there were a lot of strong women in the movie, especially at the beginning.  And I also liked the part where Wonder Woman picked up a tank and lifted it over her head.  I guess I’m just easily amused.

Rifftrax Summer Shorts Beach Party

Some of the folks who used to do Mystery Science Theater 3000 do something similar now called Rifftrax.  Sometimes they have live simulcast showings of their work that are shown in select theaters.  I try to go to them when I can.  Sometimes I don’t if the movie doesn’t interest me, or I can’t if I have to work.  But I’m glad I got to see this one because it was a bunch of old educational short films and those are always the funniest.  Best of all, Frank Conniff made a guest appearance.  He was TV’s Frank on MST3K and my favorite character on the show.

Cars 3

I saw this on Father’s Day with my dad and the rest of his side of the family.  Well it was actually the day before Father’s Day since I had to work, but oh well.  I’m a big Pixar fan so I try to go see all of their movies in theaters.  Anyway, like all Pixar films, it starts off with a short.  This one was called Lou, which is about a group of items in a school lost and found bin that come to life and teach a bully a lesson.  The character actually reminded me of an old Saturday morning cartoon called Clutter, about a messy stack of junk in a kid’s room that comes to life.  It came on during the last season of Eek the Cat, which might’ve helped Eek’s downfall.  Shame, too, as Clutter was made by Film Roman, usually a very good animation studio.  Can’t help but wonder how much better Clutter would’ve been if Pixar made it.

So how was Cars 3?  It was all right.  It wasn’t Pixar’s worst, but not their best either.  I have to say I think it was better than Cars 2, which I guess isn’t saying much since Cars 2 is one of my least favorite Pixar films.  While Cars 2 was basically a spy movie starring Mater, the third movie focuses more on the main character and racing again.  The particle effects like mud are amazing, but I found the sweeping backgrounds in Cars 2 more breathtaking.  Also, as soon as they introduced all the main characters, I knew what the plot would be about and how it would end.  Very predictable.  But it does have a good lesson in the end and I’m sure kids will love it regardless.

Despicable Me 3

The Despicable Me movies aren’t the most well-written animated films, but they do have cute gags and not every cartoon movie needs to be Pixar quality anyway.  I also liked the ‘stuck in the 80’s’ villain in this one.  Plus, even though they’re WAY overmarketed, I do like those little Minions.  They’re like annoying American versions of the Japanese Servebots from the Mega Man Legends games.  I don’t know why Capcom doesn’t sue them, but then LEGO could sue Capcom since Servebots look so much like LEGO men. I do wish Servebots were as popular as Minions, though.

Missed Movies

And those are all the movies I saw this summer.  There were a few more that I kind of wanted to see, but not enough to make the trouble to see them in theaters.  So I’ll just put them on the Netflix list, or go see them in the dollar theater or something.  Now that I work nights with less pay, it’s harder for me to go see movies anymore.  It sucks, but you have to do what you have to do to survive.  But I’ll still list the movies I skipped out on for whatever reason.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell no Tales

The Pirates of the Caribbean movies are a lot of fun, but I’ve gotten to the point now where I can’t tell which one is which.  They’re kind of all the same.  Like the Lord of the Rings movies to me.  That’s why I didn’t bother to see the Hobbit movies, and why I didn’t go see this one as well.

Transformers: The Last Knight

I loved Transformers as a kid, but I don’t know any Transformers fans who think the new movies are good.  They do have a lot of action and the sequels had something in them that made me want to see them, like Devastator or Grimlock.  But those one doesn’t have anything like that which I’m aware of.  So I skipped out on it.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

I heard this movie was good, but I’m SO sick of Spiderman.  How many reboots has he had now?  Like, four?  I’m not really a big fan of Spiderman anyway, and the other movies made me dizzy with all the web swinging going on.  I wish they’d make a Marvel vs. Capcom movie.

War for the Planet of the Apes

All the other new Planet of the Apes movies I’ve watched on Netflix, so I can do that with this one, too.

And that’s all for now!  In the comments section, let me know what movies you’ve seen this summer!  Later!  --Cary


 

Comments

Matt Snee Staff Writer

08/01/2017 at 11:07 AM

A lot of meh movies this year. But Wonder Woman was great, and Spiderman was pretty good. I saw Dunkirk last week and it was great, but I would call it a "war film" not a "summer movie".  

Cary Woodham

08/01/2017 at 01:44 PM

Yeah if I had to give a "Best Movie I Saw This Summer" award, it would probably go to Wonder Woman.  I never heard of that Dunkirk movie.

Matt Snee Staff Writer

08/01/2017 at 01:57 PM

It's very good. It's an old WW2 tale. After the Nazi's invaded France, the English army was stuck on the beach at Dunkirk. In order to get them back, they commandeered people's pleasure boats to get all the men back to England. Pretty magical story, but sad as well. And true. 

Cary Woodham

08/01/2017 at 02:23 PM

Sounds kind of an artsy movie, too.  Probably why I never heard of it.

KnightDriver

08/01/2017 at 11:02 PM

I have an unexplainable love of biplanes too. Gotta go with the Sopwith Camel.

sopwith

I saw that Pirates movie. I liked it but it always disappoints me it's not more gritty and like real pirates. It's a family movie after all. I saw Guardians 2 and Wonder Woman, both good. Then i saw Spider Man because a friend wanted to. It was fine. I was about to see Atomic Blonde but then didn't: or, I might still try and go this weekend. I like the visual style of the movie even though I really don't want to see just a string of fight scenes which is what the trailer made it seem like. 

Cary Woodham

08/02/2017 at 02:44 AM

Yeah I don't know why I like biplanes so much, but I always have.  Even as a little kid.  One time when I was very young, I saw "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines" movie on TV and I sat through the whole thing.  And as a kid, I never sat through old movies like that unless Godzilla was in it.

Atomic Blonde?!?  Well that's another movie I've never heard of.

KnightDriver

08/02/2017 at 11:50 PM

I read some books on those biplanes. I love them, but boy were they dangerous to fly. You take took tight a turn and the canvas on your wings could just rip right off and send you into a downward spiral. 

Cary Woodham

08/03/2017 at 03:43 AM

I said I like biplanes, but I didn't say I'd want to fly in one. :)

I might would like to try flying in a hot air balloon someday, though.  Maybe.

KnightDriver

08/05/2017 at 01:11 AM

I totally want to fly one. Balloons scare me though. What if a balloon fight breaks out up there. Tongue Out

Cary Woodham

08/05/2017 at 01:49 PM

That's why you always carry two balloons.  Me, personally, I prefer flying ostriches.

Super Step Contributing Writer

08/02/2017 at 05:12 PM

I don't remember all the penis jokes in GotG 2? But I saw it once when it came out, then again on July 4 with family, and I'm not surprised you liked the ending. lol

I think Wonder Woman's origin story was WWII, but I don't really know either. I just loved the strong characters, great message, and overall depth compared to the garbage that was Batman v. Superman.

Rifftrax would be fun with some friends. I don't ever know when or if they're playing near me. I doubt the Nac theater gets them.

I had roughly the same reaction to Moana you did to Cars 3: extremely predictable, but incredibly gorgeous. I've never been into the Cars movies, so I didn't see it. 

I don't really know about servebots, but Minions are definitely a love/hate thing for many. I just like them though. I liked the first two Despicable Mes abd Minions movie, but I just wasn't interested in this new one. 

I can definitely tell the difference between LotR and Hobbit movies, but I saw the first two Pirates and thought they were just "ok," so you could probably fool me with which one is which. 

I want to see a Transfromers in theaters because I can't stand them on DVD (SSOOOOO LOOOOONNNNG), but maybe the theater would make the action worth it. 

Homecoming was good, but I feel you on Spider-man. This is his third theatrical iteration, and I still think they've all got their ups and downs but aren't my favorite. Amazing Spider-Man 2 is actually my favorite of all of them, but everyone else hates it. lol

War for the Planet of the Apes and Atomic Blonde are the 2 I still want to see in theaters. 

I saw Baby Driver and Dunkirk as well, but I imagine those aren't really your thing. 

Cary Woodham

08/03/2017 at 03:45 AM

The only cool thing about Moana was I found out the tattoos on Maui were hand animated by a classic Disney animator, not on computer.

Super Step Contributing Writer

08/03/2017 at 01:43 PM

The ONLY cool thing? Lol And I kinda figured, since there  are 2D animation scenes as well.

Cary Woodham

08/03/2017 at 02:03 PM

I think I would've liked Frozen if it were 2-D animated as well.  Really would've felt like a Disney classic then.

Super Step Contributing Writer

08/03/2017 at 02:39 PM

I grew up with 2D, but to the generation growing up now, I guess Frozen is a classic. Nothing wrong with that imo, even if I'd like to see more 2D animated films again. 

Cary Woodham

08/04/2017 at 03:41 AM

I really prefer 2-D animation.  I just think it's more artistic and expressive.  Take Oliver & Company.  The expressions on Feagin's face as he is wrought with guilt over making the right decision, that's just something I just don't see in 3-D animation.

Super Step Contributing Writer

08/04/2017 at 09:57 AM

I will somewhat agree to disagree about facial expression, because I think 3D handles it well, but I'll agree in the sense 3D doesn't blow my mind like the opening of Rescuers Down Under ( though I'm pretty sure some of that was CG). 

Cary Woodham

08/04/2017 at 10:44 PM

Rescuers Down Under was one of the first Disney animated films to use CG extensively.  Especially in the intro.  I prefer the original Rescuers, though, as it has that Don Bluth charm to it (that was his last feature he worked on at Disney before forming his own studio).

Super Step Contributing Writer

08/05/2017 at 08:59 AM

The movie as a whole, I agree; I definitely liked the original a lot better. I'm just saying the animation in the sequel was mind-blowing in that opening sequence. 

Cary Woodham

08/05/2017 at 01:50 PM

It was pretty neat.  Although my friend the former Disney animator said it was just the cartoonists playing with their new toys. :)

Super Step Contributing Writer

08/05/2017 at 06:30 PM

As someone who majored in production, I can understand the desire. Lol That's neat you got that straight from the horse's mouth.

Cary Woodham

08/06/2017 at 02:31 AM

Yeah I heard a lot of stories from that guy.  Especially since he would always start his class by sitting on a stool and telling 'back in the day' stories.

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