A review of the summer’s hottest movies
Bruno
Let’s be honest, when students thought of this summer’s movie releases, did they really think they’d be seeing a film with a talking penis?
For the majority of summer moviegoers, the answer would probably be no, but those familiar with Sacha Baron Cohen’s previous work were expecting something with shock value, which is exactly what the overly-hyped “Borat” follow-up, “Bruno,” achieves. “Bruno” is a one-joke movie, but it had some funny moments.
“It was out there,” said David Rice, a senior. “I think it’s a movie I’d see once, but I don’t think I need to see it again.”
Perhaps funnier and less offensive, “The Hangover” was this summer’s breakout comedy. Relying on a trio of lesser-known actors, “The Hangover” is riddled with ridiculous and hilarious moments, including a cameo by a soft-speaking Mike Tyson.
Star Trek
Paramount Picture's 2009 Star Trek poster
“Star Trek” combined fine acting with spectacular visuals. The film had gripping storytelling and emotional depth. Jarred Armijo, a sophomore English major said he thought the film was well-made.
“I thought it was a good re-imagining of it. [Star Trek] freshened it up for a whole new audience,” Armijo said.
“Star Trek” was a summer blockbuster. It will surely be the crown jewel in any Trekkie’s DVD collection upon its release as it reaches “Dark Knight”-like status of combined critical and commercial acclaim.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
The summers’ biggest hit, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” was an empty but entertaining film. Stunning visuals and big, shiny, loud robots couldn’t save it from universal panning, but that hardly stopped it from making over $300 million in the summer box office.
Jenna Speare, a sophomore film major, agreed with the critics’ consensus.
“The second [Transformers film] didn’t seem to have a purpose, it kind of dragged on without a point,” Speare said.
District 9
“District 9” was among few films that broke the sequel and franchise stigma of the summer box office. A wonderfully original story about extraterrestrial life forms that find interstellar refugee in the chaos of South Africa, “District 9” boasted colorful acting and gritty special effects.
Chloe Primdahl, a junior English major, said she enjoyed watching people getting vaporized and that it was “pretty damn good.”
“I thought the casting was good,” Primdahl said. “They start out with a really nerdy character; you don’t expect him to be the hero of the story.”
Shot partly in documentary style, the film treats the “arrival of aliens” scenario as a test of humanity’s compassion. As the treatment of the creatures slowly begins to reflect present day events, the xenophobia people draw from when encountering cultural differences is exposed.
A brilliant film, the only thing keeping “District 9” from breaking box office records is its hefty R-rating, for intense sequences of violence.
From action and intrigue, outrageous comedy and thought-provoking social commentary, there was something to satisfy every sort of movie buff this summer.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Esteban L. Hernandez at Esteban.Hernandez@colorado.edu.
