Story by Grant Dillard, Staff writer
Graphic courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
“Incredibles 2”
This was a movie 14 years in the making, but the wait was totally worth it. “Incredibles 2” was a great follow-up to an already fantastic film, thankfully feeling like a natural continuation from the first film’s story rather than a complete rehash of it. Despite a weak twist regarding the identity of the villain, Screenslaver, “Incredibles 2” is a worthy sequel to its predecessor thanks to its amazing action scenes, likable characters and well-executed humor.
“Mission: Impossible – Fallout”
The “Mission: Impossible” film series has the reputation of making sequals that are better than the first installments. The sixth installment, “Mission: Impossible – Fallout,” further drives that point home, as it turned out to be the best installment in the series by far. Everything, from the story, character development, plot twists and action sequences, have been improved to near perfection. Plus, it features what may be Henry Cavill’s best onscreen performance, aside from Superman. This is one mission that fans of the series, as well as fans of action movies in general, should choose to accept.
“Avengers: Infinity War”
The summer movie season kicked off with “Avengers: Infinity War,” which was released a week early on April 27 and it was quite a good film. Not only did the film succeed in giving audiences the spectacular action sequences and one-liners they have come to expect, but it also gave them one of, if not the greatest, villains of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the form of Thanos. Not to mention, it featured what may be the most shocking and heartbreaking ending of all the films in the MCU.
“Ant-Man and the Wasp”
Marvel Studios had another offering for fans this summer and it was a necessary palette cleanser after the depressing and tragic ending of “Avengers: Infinity War.” “Ant-Man and the Wasp” gave viewers a larger story than the first film, yet managed to still be a self-contained film: avoiding any major crossovers with other films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Creative action scenes, hilarious comedy, a tragic and sympathetic villain and a fantastic onscreen chemistry between Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lily make it a better film than the first “Ant-Man,” as well as one of the better sequels of the MCU.
“Solo: A Star Wars Story”
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the summer was the fact that “Solo: A Star Wars Story” actually turned out to be a good movie, despite its many behind-the-scenes troubles. These troubles include the firing of directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller when shooting was nearly finished. “Solo” may not have been the most successful at the box-office, but the film itself is actually a good time as well as a welcome addition to the “Star Wars” saga. The film featured a great cast, with Alden Ehrenreich giving a good performance as a younger version of everyone’s favorite “scruffy looking nerf-herder,” and Donald Glover playing a spectacular young Lando Calrissian. Also, the film features an incredible surprise cameo from a fan-favorite character toward its conclusion, which was a very nice touch.