Entry posted by Voltex
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A brief note: due to working at a summer camp, I missed seeing Monsters University, The Lone Ranger, and World War Z at this point in time. However, I do plan to see all three once they are released in stores, and should thus be able to give them some form of a rating by the end of the year.
1. This is the End - 96%
I didn't expect a comedy with Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Michael Cera and Emma Watson to be amazing, nor did I expect an apocalypse film to be even half-decent. Here it is, though - an example of downright hilarious comedy alongside fantastic storytelling and a perfectly dramatic backdrop (as well as a tremendously done ending of the world), This is the End might well turn out to be the surprise favourite of the year for me. There are still several months to wait and many movies (Thor: The Dark World, The Desolation of Smaug, Ender's Game, etc.) to go through before I undergo the daunting task of creating the end of year Top 10, but at this moment, This is the End hits the number one spot.
2. Fast & Furious 6 - 91%
When I saw the trailer for Fast & Furious 6 I got really hyped, despite not seeing any previous entries in the franchise (still need to see Fast Five). And it says something about how fantastic this film is when I was able to latch onto every single character in the film despite it being the sixth entry. The film explained enough of the backstory that I had no problems entering the film, and the drive was an amazing one. This film roars from start to finish, but also knows when to take those moments of peace, quiet, and relaxation to build up to the next point. I also loved the ending, and the plot twist right before the final battle.
3. Iron Man 3 - 90%
I can't honesty say where this film ranks compared to the other Marvel Cinematic Universe films, mostly because I still need to watch The Incredible Hulk and Captain America. However out of the ones I have seen, I do believe that this entry gives the original Iron Man a run for its money in the honor of being my favourite Marvel film. Iron Man 3 could be the end of Tony Stark's story and I would be perfectly happy, but it could also lead into a new beginning (and I would also be perfectly happy). The only major gripe I have with the film is that we didn't see Bruce Banner at all, and I feel like adding him into the film as a minor character might have made a fun ride even better. But honestly, I can't really complain. This movie has the best opening of all time.
4. White House Down - 89%
First of all, I have not yet had the opportunity to see Olympus Has Fallen. I heard about White House Down first, I was more interested in it, and by the time I had both the interest and the money to see Olympus Has Fallen, it was already gone from theatres. Maybe I'll see it by the end of the year. Moving onto White House Down, my biggest complaint was the twist at the end that had no real buildup. I loved Jamie Foxx as the President, and the daughter's role in the film was played out very well. I also enjoyed the chaos that the government was thrown into, with the ability to trust even themselves thrown out the window. Everything about this film works, and that is why halfway through the year it sits at number four.
5. Oblivion - 85%
Oblivion is a gorgeous film to watch - the only films that looked better were This is the End and The Great Gatsby. The storyline is an interesting one, and it is very fun to watch as it unfolds and the conspiracy is revealed (although it's ruined a little bit by the fact that it's already revealed in the trailers). The sci-fi atmosphere and the compare/contrast viewpoints we receive between the 21st Century and the ruins decades later are a joy to see, and the memories of the main character that have been locked away are curious to watch unfold.
6. Despicable Me 2 - 82%
For a long time I was thwarted at every chance I had to see this film (much like I was with Monsters University), but I finally had the chance to see this. Ultimately, I left the theatre both satisfied and disappointed. Satisfied because the movie is a good one and an enjoyable one - the animation is superb and the characters we already know are built upon. We even see the Minions being played with more. They're still mostly comic relief, but I could honestly see real characters in some of them this time around, and that was splendid. On the flip side, this isn't as good as its predecessor, and Gru as the main character doesn't really learn any lesson or develop as a character this time around, and I missed that.
7. Star Trek Into Darkness - 81%
I went into this movie with some expectations, and unfortunately, it doesn't deliver on as many as I'd hoped. The main villain doesn't play as quite the villain I'd expected, and halfway through it turns out that we have a secondary villain who is really from Starfleet - yet despite this, Kirk remains strangely loyal to him even as he prepares to blow the Enterpise to pieces. If this secondary villain had been the main villain of the film, I think that Into Darkness would have been a far better film. As it is, the movie is still good, and it feels a lot more like the old Star Trek television episodes, but the first film is hands down galaxies better than this one.
8. The Great Gatsby - 77%
I will front load that I think The Great Gatsby is a film I will have to watch again to truly appreciate, and so I will ask that out of all these placements, do not take this one down to heart. I love how this film works, and the soundtrack is excellent, but I felt like the story plodded along, and outside of a few core characters, I didn't feel like I really knew any of the cast. I was also very unsatisfied with the ending, which to me felt as if no closure was really given. However, I'm giving this one the benefit of the doubt for the time being.
9. Pacific Rim - 76%
Pacific Rim is what I imagine the second two Transformers films would have looked something like if they were actually good. This film is the definition of a summer blockbuster, and the concept of giant robots fighting against enormous alien predators is delicious to my insane mind. I did feel as though the characters were somewhat stereotypical and lacking in evolution throughout the film, and the story itself isn't very original (I predicted most of the plot twists correctly), but there were highlights throughout the film that I found spectacular - one being the battle between the Gypsy Danger unit and the two Kaijus in Hong Kong after the electricity is wiped out, and another being any scene with the two scientist researchers, who were both brilliant and easily the highlight of the film.
10. The Wolverine - 70%
This movie is so-so, and I only recommend watching it if there isn't anything else in the theatre you want to see. What I saw in this film was a lot of potential that just wasn't being recognized, plot details that weren't properly explained, and villains that I never felt like I understood the motives of. The film was enjoyable for what it was, but everything it did right felt like it was done with the minimum amount of effort that the film crew could possibly put in. The Wolverine himself is the most interesting character of the film, but I didn't feel like he developed throughout the story, aside from deciding to become a soldier again. I can guarantee that this movie will not be on this list after the end of year evaluation, because there are many films coming out that could replace it.
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