It has been a great summer at the box office after a couple of really disappointing years. But this time around the blockbusters have not disappointed - with three breaking the $1billion barrier worldwide; which has never been seen before.
We may have already been looking ahead to those movies and performances that may be Oscar contenders but we are going to look back to some of the movies that have lit up the big screen over the last couple of months.
Thor
My personal favourite movie of the summer has, without a shadow of a doubt, was Thor - one of three Marvel movies to reach the big screen this summer.
Kenneth Branagh was the perfect choice for director and he cast Australian and relatively unknown actor Chris Hemsworth - which was also a very good move.
Thor was a perfect blend of action and humour as well as looking absolutely fantastic and Branagh focused on characters and not 100% on CGI.
Without doubt Thor is a movie that could have gone terribly wrong but Branagh has crafted a movie that is both exciting as well as engaging.
Super 8
Super 8 was a departure from the big budget blockbuster as J.J. Abrams made his return to the director’s chair for another sci-fi project.
The alien movie really does seem to be Abrams’ forte as he once again delivers another well crafted and suspension filled movie without it ever going over the top or straying into farce.
I can’t heap praise on this movie enough there is not a single bum element as cast, director, script and special effects all come together to create one of the best movies of 2011 so far.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2
You can’t look back over this summer’s movies without giving a little mention to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2.
Potter fans all over the world brought their decade long movie journey to an end as the franchise with Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint said goodbye to Harry, Hermione and Ron.
To say that the film was a success is an understatement as the film went on to not only be the biggest grossing movie of the year but the third biggest grossing of all time.
So far the movie has grossed in excess of £1,311 billion and lie behind Avatar and Titanic on the all time list.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Another of my favourites of this summer was The Rise of the Planet of the Apes - a new addition to the popular apes franchise.
This was an origins story rather than a remake and it really was one of the most enjoyable experiences that I had in the cinema this summer - the movie delivered so much more than expected.
And the real success of this movie was, without any doubt, the central performance of Andy Serkis as Cesar.
I can’t praise the look of the movie enough as Wyatt has effortlessly blended live action with outstanding CGI.
The apes come across as living, breathing characters with emotions and feelings and the likes of James Franco and Frieda Pinto really do take a back seat.
The movie is perfectly poised for a sequel and if it is as good as this summer’s film then bring it on!
Captain America: The First Avenger
I have to admit that when I heard that Chris Evans had been cast in the title role - however I was glad that my initial concerns were proved wrong as he turns in a really great performance as Steve Rogers.
It’s a fast paced script that quickly shows the selfless nature of Steve Rogers and his desire to represent and defend his country during a time of war.
Evans really is perfectly cast in the title role not only from a physical aspect but he also embodies the patriotic and compassionate aspects of Rodgers’ personality.
Evans is currently filming The Avengers, which will see him team up with Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo - now that will be a movie worth watching!!!!
Other summer movies that I have been enjoying over the last few weeks include X-Men: First Class, Fast Five, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Horrible Bosses and documentary Project Nim.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
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