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The beginning of the summer movie season
provides some big hits and catastrophic flops
By Jimmy Fortuna-Peak
While cheesy, this teen comedy provides laughs and a heartfelt story that many will enjoy. Blockers follows three parents as they try to prevent their teenage daughters from having sex on prom night. This plot is absolutely ridiculous and has you questioning the logic and the behavior of the characters from start to finish. However, the film’s comedic elements and the stellar chemistry from the cast provide a very enjoyable experience. Most of the jokes were clever, and the non-stop pacing keeps you engaged throughout. Additionally, there are some very moving moments that both parents and students can relate to. The biggest surprise is the strong social commentary presented about how girls lose their virginity vs how guys do. John Cena proves to be a future star in Hollywood and is the film’s crowning star. The biggest flaw is the choppy editing in some scenes. In the end, Blockers is a fun theater experience that will enjoyed for years to come.
Rating: 3.5/5
This unique sci-fi horror provides one of the most unique films of 2018 thus far. A Quiet Place follows the Abbott family, and the struggles they face while trying to hide from sound sensitive monsters in a post-apocalyptic rural landscape. John Krasinski does a fantastic job at building suspense in his directorial debut, as well as acting alongside his co-star and real life wife Emily Blunt. The child actors are great as well, and provide a great sense of family. The film is a non-stop thrill ride with very few breaks, and fits perfectly with the short runtime. The film’s only flaw is its lack of development. There are only subtle hints as to how the world becomes this way and leaves a lot to the imagination. Overall, A Quiet Place is a scary, yet intriguing film that will go down as one of the best films of 2018.
Rating: 4.5/5
The 19th entry into the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) is a change of form for the franchise and is its darkest film yet. Avengers: Infinity War follows the Avengers and their impossible task of defeating the powerful Thanos before he can conduct a universe wide genocide. The standout of the film is Josh Brolin’s portrayal of Thanos, giving fans easily one of the best MCU villains to date. The actions scenes are epic, and the set designs are mesmerizing. The characters work well with each other, and the chemistry built throughout the previous films become apparent. However, the big cast does not come without its flaws with many of the characters taking sideline roles rather than being front and center. The ending, while controversial, is a gamble that paid off for Marvel and will be talked about for years to come.
Infinity War is a great film, but should and will not receive an official rating until part two comes out next year.
Not even Dwayne Johnson can make this abysmal video game adaptation into a fun blockbuster hit. Rampage follows primatologist Davis Okoye (Dwayne Johnson), and his attempts at stopping three genetically mutated animals from destroying Chicago. Right off the bat, this film can barely be called an action film as the only action happens in the last 20 minutes of the film. The characters all act cartoonish and provide no sense of realism whatsoever. The plot is extremely predictable and relies too much on too many improbable results all happening perfectly. Dwayne Johnson is always enjoyable to watch and the final action scene does have some moments, but the film provides little more than that. Rampage is a B-rated monster film that is taking away valuable ticket sales from better low budget films.
Rating: 1.5/5
