Summer 2016 Movie Season In Review: 5 Hidden Gems & 5 Biggest Disasters

Now that it's September and the summer movie season has officially wrapped, I thought it would be interesting to reflect on this summer's hits and misses. I thought I would warn you about 5 movies you should avoid and recommend 5 movies you probably didn't even realize came out.

5 Biggest Disasters

These are in my opinion the worst five films I saw this summer.

Note: Not all of these movies are disasters per say, something that can be clarified if you check out my full reviews by clicking on the titles. Also, I haven't seen many movies that I was well aware would be terrible like Ice Age: Collision Course or Nine Lives so don't expect them to be found on this listing.

Dis-Honorable Mentions: Warcraft and Sausage Party.

5. The Legend of Tarzan- A live action Tarzan movie should feel fun and have a sense of adventure, but that was sorely lacking in The Legend of Tarzan. Instead we got a dark epilogue to the classic tale where nothing of interest happens till about an hour into the movie. 

4. Ben-Hur- There doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason as to why Paramount decided to remake Ben-Hur. The characters are thinly sketched and one-note, the story is generic, and the only points of interest were the chariot race and the film's faith-rooted messages. Ben-Hur is dull and not really worth seeing in theaters or the home video market.

3. Independence Day: Resurgence- Independence Day: Resurgence was doomed the moment Will Smith refused to sign on. The new young leads were dull and uninteresting and the creative team were just unable to recapture the charming sensibilities of the original after twenty years.

2. The Angry Birds Movie- This summer had many animated box office successes and sadly The Angry Birds Movie was one of them. This film is grotesque, stupid, and has virtually no plot making it nearly unwatchable. When I saw it children were out of their seats running around because they were so bored and trust me, I wanted to join them.

1. Alice Through the Looking Glass- A prime example of Hollywood's sequel problem this summer, Alice Through the Looking Glass is a sequel nobody really asked for and nobody should ever see. 

5 Hidden Gems 

These are the five films I feel warrant a watch that didn't get nearly the same amount of attention as large-budget blockbusters like Captain America: Civil War, Finding Dory, or Suicide Squad.

Note: I haven't seen every single film released this summer so there might be some amazing Indie films like The Lobster that I haven't seen and therefore didn't make the list.

Honorable Mentions: War Dogs and Hell or High Water.

5. The Shallows- The Shallows was a delightfully charming cheesefest that's well directed, features what I'd say is Blake Lively's best performance to date, and great suspense amounting to a finn-tastic time at the cinema. 

4. Don't Breathe- Don't Breathe is an example of horror done correctly as it used jump scares sparingly and showcased brilliant writing. If you're into suspense Don't Breathe is definitely worth checking out!

3. The Nice Guys- The Nice Guys is one of the best original films this year thanks to it's smart screenplay, terrific performances, and unique story! It was a delight from beginning to end. 

2. Kubo and the Two Strings- Kubo and the Two Strings features top-notch stop-motion, charming characters, and an engaging story with both cool action and sentimental character moments. Quite honestly it's one of the better animated films released this year, in fact it's one of the best films released this year. 

1. Swiss Army Man- Swiss Army Man is one of the most unique films I have ever seen. Who would think to make a film about a farting corpse? Even though the premise sounds ridiculous, the story and complex underlying themes are remarkably relatable. The performances are insanely good and the music is downright phenomenal. Swiss Army Man is something that needs to be seen and it will be available on home media soon so I highly recommend you rent it or buy it by any means necessary.