It’s time, once again, for the “LCJ Summer Movie Awards”.
MOST FORGETTABLE
I saw “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” the day it came out and I really haven’t thought about it since. Dull story, boring special effects, ho-hum performances. The only memorable scene in the film is when Alfred Molina’s character kisses an ostrich.
BIGGEST SURPRISE
Got to go with “Nanny McPhee Returns“. There wasn’t a lot of good buzz before it was released (and the original was not a big hit). The first half hour is dreadful, but then the movie turns into a sweet and fun film that parents and kids can enjoy together, which is rare for a live-action movie these days.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
Plenty to choose from, but the winner is “The Last Airbender“. I never watched the animated TV show, but it was very popular, with millions of fans. And most of them, like me, hated this movie. It would also win the Most Boring award, if we had one.
BEST ACTION FILM
The toughest category because I liked so many: “Iron Man 2“, “The A-Team“, “Knight and Day“, “The Other Guys”. But the pick is – “Salt”. Great main character (with an outstanding performance by Angelia Jolie in a tough role), fantastic action scenes, a plot with several twists and turns. Overall, non-stop excitement from start to finish.
WORST FILM OF THE SUMMER
Out of nearly 30 movies I saw this summer, one clearly stands out as the worst of the bunch. “Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore“ had a lame, predictable story, no laughs, terrible effects. Simply a mess (that not even a pooper scooper could handle).
BEST FILM OF THE SUMMER
If you follow my reviews this selection should come as no surprise. “Toy Story 3“, as I wrote in my original review, is the perfect example of what the movie experience should be: It has excitement, laughs, suspense, an emotional story that pulls you in and characters you root for.
If you haven’t seen it yet it’s been re-released nationwide this weekend. Even if you think you don’t like animated films I challenge you to see “Toy Story 3” and not leave the theater a fan.