Summer Movie Season Ends

Up is number one summer movie on my list.

The noisy summer movie season had a good run this year. I ended up seeing nine of the big popcorn releases. After recalling what I viewed, I found I did not venture even close to an independent film release this summer. Of the films I rank, the first six I received the entertainment I was expecting or more. Seven through nine represent slight or major disappointments. Public Enemies and Angels & Demons should have been much better since both films were helmed by an excellent director and stared an excellent cast.

The movie musical lacked representation this summer in theaters. For the previous two summers (2008, 2007), the genre was represented by an energetic release from a major studio. Last year's Mama Mia and the previous year's Hair Spray provided ample tunes to fill a summer's worth of dance cards.

Obviously, I am not the targeted audience for either District 9 or Inglorious Bastards. The previews presented before the films rolled were full of relentless violence or grossness for grossness sake. Quick flashing, quick cutting and excessively loud trailers warn me to proceed with caution. Entertainment should be more than just mind numbing escapism. One should be able to escape and still have a thought left worth sharing.

Pixar proves again that some of the best writing being done in Hollywood now is for animated 3D characters and not traditional flesh and blood actors.

1. Up

2. District 9

3. Inglorious Bastards

4. Julie & Julia

5. Star Trek

6. The Proposal

7. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

8. Public Enemies

9. Angels & Demons