Ten Biggest Winners and Losers of the summer
Nathan Swank
August 21st, 2013
LOSERS:
5. Ryan Reynolds – Poor Van Wilder just can’t seem to make a hit. I think the guy has his charm but he keeps having trouble breaking in as a successful star. In one week he had two major flops, The MEN IN BLACK knockoff R.I.P.D and TURBO, Dreamworks first animated failure since 2006. I’m not sure this guy has many more lives to burn, but this summer may have been the nail his buried alive coffin, which coincidentally is the title of a quality turn poor Reynolds has to capitalize from.
4. 3D – Yes the 3D is finally getting some backlash with movie goers wisely choosing the 2D version. As a critic, I’m lucky enough to experience all my movies in 3D for free and I can attest that none of it is necessary. The only 3D that really wowed this year was DESPICABLE ME 2, but that doesn’t refute the fact this is an overused gimmick, which needs to settle down.
3. Superheroes – I already know I have some disagreements on this one but the biggest disappointments about MAN OF STEEL and THE WOLVERINE is that they just weren’t up to the level that we now expect from our superhero films. Last summer brought us THE AVENGERS and THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. None of the superhero films this year come close to those results. Special recognition to IRON MAN 3, which did provide a solid entry better than the sequel. But with the huge expectations for getting Superman perfected and the constant disappointment that comes with one of the best actor to character pairings of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, despite their box office numbers, these films provided a devastating blow to the quality of superhero movies.
2. Reigning Box Office Staples – Specifically Will Smith and Johnny Depp who both used to rule the summer box office. Both were in a couple of extremely underperforming stinkers this year. Smith who wrote and produced the catastrophe AFTER EARTH and Depp whose name is becoming synonymous with quirky character sellout in the abysmal THE LONE RANGER. Even last year’s newly crowned golden boy Channing Tatum had a lackluster summer pairing with Jamie Foxx for WHITE HOUSE DOWN.
1. Originality – This summer was made up of tons of prequels and sequels: IRON MAN 3, MONSTERS UNIVERSITY, DESPICABLE ME 2, BEFORE MIDNIGHT, THE WOLVERINE, SMURFS 2, PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS, GROWN UPS 2, KICK-ASS 2, STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS, FAST & FURIOUS 6, THE HANGOVER PART III, RED 2, VHS 2. Then there were adaptations of comics, novels and even old TV shows: R.I.P.D, WORLD WAR Z, MAN OF STEEL, THE GREAT GATSBY and THE LONE RANGER. Perhaps the worst offense is Disney’s pathetic attempt to cash in on their partner Pixar’s creation with their CARS imitation PLANES. Hopefully next summer will bring some more originality like the wonderfully delightful THE WAY, WAY BACK.
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