The 2009 Unofficial Official Summer Movie Awards

The summer season is over, and I know you know what that means: the Unofficial Official Summer Movie Awards!! Yay! This is my second year doing such a thing, and to recap, here were the results last year:

Best Action Sequence: Iron Man (First action scene)

Best Fight: Kung Fu Panda (Po against his master)

Best Summer Popcorn Flick: Dark Knight

Biggest Summer Surprise: Kung Fu Panda

Biggest Disappointment: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull


Top Overall Summer Movie:
1) Wall-E
2) Tropic Thunder
3) The Dark Knight
4) Iron Man
5) Pineapple Express

Let’s start the awards with one statement that I am sure most people would agree with: 2009 was a major disappointment. There were very few films I found to be memorable or amazingly enjoyable. Last year we had the triple threat of Iron Man, Dark Knight, and Wall-E. This year, we had the biggest film of the year being an insanely disappointing and dismal mess, with only the box office surprises carrying the summer season with its strong legs (Hangover, Up, Proposal). Out of the 12 summer movies I saw, only 4 of them got higher than a mediocre score. It just wasn’t a good summer. A lot of promise, and very little delivery. 2008 was much better than 2009 (and I even said that 07 was better than 08…which I am now re-considering).

Without further interruption, the 2009 Summer Movie Awards:


1) Biggest Surprise:
The Hangover
My Score: 7/10

This movie was not supposed to run away with almost 300 million in the United States. It was supposed to be another one of those frat comedies that gets a decent profit, raises a few eyebrows, and becomes instantly quotable. Instead, we have the most successful R-rated comedy in history, and we have a movie that outgrossed even Star Trek. In my opinion, the movie isn’t an instant classic nor is it a comedy that stands tall as one of the best in the decade, but it is one of the best-written comedies of the 2000s and easily the freshest. The premise is simple, yet hilarious. The execution is crude, yet full of unexpected hijinks and subtle suspense. This is easily the best surprise of the summer season.
Runner-up: The Proposal


2) Biggest Disappointment:
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
My Score: 6/10

The original award-winner was Transformers, however in the case of Transformers I should have seen it coming considering its Michael Bay. In the case of X-Men, its based off a franchise that has seen three successful movies, with none of them ever drifting too far into mediocre (with the third one being the closest). But, in here, we have too much naked Wolverine, too many characters with little time, butchering of classic comic book characters, questionable acting, bad editing, and a terrible ending (the one after the credits). The biggest bust was Gambit, one of the coolest comic book heroes of them all. The Gambit here lacks the look, accent, swagger, and the overall coolness that is Gambit.
Runner-Up: Transformers 2


3) Best Summer Popcorn Flick
Up
My Score: 9/10

Its not Transformers, and its not X-Men. Its not G.I. Joe, and its not Star Trek (because I hadn’t seen it—it’s the one blockbuster I missed). However, Up has more action than all the other movies I’ve mentioned (with the potential exception of Star Trek) and its sequences were well-drawn out and well-executed. Up wasn’t about the thrills, it was about moving on after tragedy, but it wasn’t without its share of peril and suspense. Up was the Pixar movie with the most action with The Incredibles, and like the 2005 animated action flick, Up delivers very well.
Runner-Up: There is none………


4) Best Fight
Transformers: Optimus Prime vs. Decepticons

The movie was a disappointing mess, but they did have one good action scene, and that’s when Optimus Prime engages in a showdown against multiple enemies. Too bad it ended so abruptly and stupidly.
Runner-Up: Funny People vs. its running time

And now, the final award, the best movie of the summer of 2009. Here are the results:


Runner Up #2: Ponyo

This cutesy animated movie has beautiful animation, beautiful music, nice pacing, and a cutesy factor that oozes all over the place. Unlike most American dubs within the past 48979783 years, this one wasn’t too bad thanks to Pixar’s everlong support of the Japanese animation studio behind the animated hit.


Runner Up #1: Inglorious Basterds

Quentin Tarantino knows how to weave a good movie, he’s proven this before. Now, he is butchering history by blending spaghetti western elements, false facts, over-the-top acting and dialogue to a World War II tale about Nazi-killers and Nazi-haters seeking bloody vengeance. This cup of rough tea isn’t for everybody, but its Tarantino, what did you expect?


Top Summer Movie: Up

For the third year in a row, Pixar has delivered the best movie of the summer. 2007 we had Ratatouille, which was a flawless indie flick at heart, edge out Hot Fuzz and Bourne Ultimatum. Then we had the should-have-been-nominated-for-best-picture Wall-E trouncing the summer flicks Dark Knight and Iron Man with its beautiful animation, superb storytelling, and overall quality.

What makes Up the top movie of the summer? The animation, the music, the action, the characters, the writing, and the deep sentimental value that is among the richest you’ll see this entire decade. The opening 10 minutes were among the most heart-wrenching in animated history, but countering it is Dug and Kevin, two of among Pixar’s funniest and most entertaining creations. Add to that a crazy villain, an epic final showdown, a very moving scene toward the climax (*snif*…that book….), and a delightful ending. Up’s deep depressing scenes (that may traumatize the strongest of kids and maybe even some adults) and rather slow first act prevent it from being a 10/10 work of art, but it was darn close.

If you have not seen this movie, you have to do yourself a favor and rent it whenever its out on DVD. Its already #1 in my Netflix queue, as it’s a film I will show as many people as possible, simply because it’s a beautiful film about life and how to live it. Yes, the summer isn’t for these kinds of movies, but in an era we live in, its nice to see a movie studio provide such engaging filmmaking. Pixar, you’ve done it again.