2016 Summer Movie Season: Season Awards

The 4th Annual

Summer Movie Season Awards

By: Brandon Porter

Hello Followers. Well this is it. The summer movie season has officially come to a close. There were plenty of amazing experiences to go around but now that the fall season has arrived, the Oscar contenders are ready to take center stage as well as a few anticipated adventures later in the year. But before we say goodbye to summer. Let's give out some awards to the most deserving performers and movies that rocked our sock over the past 4 months.

 Best Summer Movie Actor (Oakes Fegley)

The small but spirited young boy captured the hearts of moviegoers alike thanks to a stand out performance and a huge hand from a larger than life best bud. Oakes Fegley showed great depth and substance in the surprise hit of the summer. A bright future is truly in his sights.

Best Summer Movie Actress (Margot Robbie)

Rarely does an actress fit a role so perfectly on paper and still manages to meet expectations on screen. Margot Robbie delivered the top notch performance as The Joker's right hand queen Harley Quinn. Funny, flirty, crazy, bubbly, but also vulnerable and broken. Robbie is the clear cut choice of the best summer movie actress in 2016.

Best Action Movie (Suicide Squad)

Coming in as the most anticipated movie of the summer comes with high expectations and skepticism. Especially when it is part of the polarizing franchise that is the DC Extended Universe. Suicide Squad might not have met expectations of critics and some fans, but it didn't rob the film of its entertainment value and non stop action. The film gave the DCEU the essence of fun it's been lacking since the beginning but more work needs to be done before it can take that next step.

Best Studio (Walt Disney Pictures)

No one is having a better year at the box office than the folks at Disney. Between the colossal box office dominance of Captain America Civil War and Finding Dory and the critical reception of Pete's Dragon and The BFG, Disney has been the go to studio for silver screen magic this summer and for the early part of the year as well.

Most Underrated Movie (Pete's Dragon)

Coming in as the true underdog in the month where Suicide Squad was predestined to dominate the month financially, one movie captured the imagination of moviegoers. The remake of the classic Disney film brought a sense of wonder and fantasy with a fresh modern twist. Brilliant performances by the actors and of course Elliot himself, make Pete's Dragon one of the unsung champions of the SMS.

Best Sci-Fi Movie (Star Trek Beyond)

After the loss of two beloved actors prior to the film's release, the third installment of the rebooted Star Trek series brought an authentic synergy to the series while still holding on to the elements that have defined the new slate of films. Beyond is the most true to nature Star Trek experience that has come in years that acts as a terrific sci-fi summer blockbuster and a moving love letter to Nimoy and Yelchin.

Best Animated Feature (Finding Dory)

The saying "Good things come to those who wait" has always held true. It held true to the highest pedigree when Pixar released the highly anticipated (and demanded) sequel to Finding Nemo. After 13 years, the sequel was well worth the wait and offered the most emotionally charged storytelling I've seen since Inside Out last year and brilliantly developed the character of everyone's favorite blue tack. Pixar's new found magic touch has returned ten fold and it seems that the momentum is ready to carry them to new heights.

 And now without further delay...I  present the top honor of the 2016 summer movie season and it goes to!!!.......

Movie of the Summer (Marvel's Captain America Civil War)

Out of all the movies that were released this summer, the opening movie of Marvel Phase 3 set a bar for the other films that they just could not reach. A strong and structured plot, lovable characters, amazing action, and kick ass spectacle made this one of the best experiences at the movies I had all year. Marvel continues to aim high and deliver some of the most entertaining movies in recent memory. The sky is the limit for what promises to be an unforgettable Phase 3.

Well, there you have it. Our award winners for SMS 2016. Want to thank all of you for supporting the blog for another summer. Stay tuned for more post later this year and beyond. Have a safe and wonderful fall and winter season. Take care!!!!

2016 Summer Movie Season - Month By Month Recaps

Summer Movie Season 2016 (Month 4 Recap)

Hello Followers. We are officially concluded the final month of the summer movie season. With August coming to an end, let's take this opportunity to look back on the reception and performance of some of the biggest films that debuted this month.

Suicide Squad

The third installment of the DCEU was once again as polarizing as BvS. However, a keen sense of fun and fast paced action made for a much more enjoyable experience. Record breaking box office numbers helped make this one of the biggest films of the year, but harsh critical reviews put the future and relevance of this franchise into serious question.

Pete's Dragon

The live action remake of the classic Disney film became a surprisingly heartfelt and magical modern retelling of the boy and dragon. The film continues the streak of stand out live action remake showcasing the studio's new found knack of making the old new again.

 Ben-Hur

The latest version of the classic biblical epic was an underwhelming experience critically and financially. This remake of the 1959 beloved classic is now added to the list of films that should not be remade with a poor critical reception and an even more dreadful box office performance. Talk about a last place finish.

Kubo and the Two Strings

Quickly becoming one of the most imaginative and innovative animation studios in the country, Laika gifts us with another beautifully done and incredibly rich tale of Kubo. An all star cast and the studio's signature animation style make this one the standout animated gems of the summer movie season.

Here is a Breakdown on How the Following Films Did Financially and Among Critics

Best Box Office Numbers (As of August 30th, 2016)

1. Suicide Squad: $636 Million

2. Pete's Dragon: $76.2 Million

 

  

3. Ben-Hur  $41.4 Million

 

4. Kubo and the Two Strings: $27.6 Million

Best Critical Success (via. Rotten Tomatoes)

1.  Kubo and the Two Strings: (96% Certified Fresh)

2. Pete's Dragon: (87% Certified Fresh)

 

3. Ben-Hur (27%) 

4.  Suicide Squad (26% )

What was your favorite movie that you saw in August? Stay tuned in the coming days as we officially close the summer movie season with the annual SMS awards. Have a great labor day weekend followers.

2016 Summer Movie Season - Pete's Dragon: Review & Analysis

The Dragon of Millhaven!!!! Disney Delivers Top Notch Retelling of 1970s Classic!!!!

Review By Brandon Porter

A legendary tale of a boy and his larger than life best friend

Story Description

Deep in the forest of the Pacific Northwest, park ranger Mr. Meacham (Robert Redford) wows children with the tale of a mythical dragon that lives in the Millhaven woods. While entertaining to kids, his daughter Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard) is sticking to the idea that it's all just make believe. But life takes an unexpected turn when Grace finds a lost young boy named Pete (Oakes Fegley) in the woods while on patrol. With questions arising about how a child could survive alone for nearly half a decade, the clues lead to a magical and shocking discovery that sends Grace and her family on a magical adventure to try and safe guard a secret too massive to keep hidden.

Grace sits with Jack, Pete, and Natalie

Critical and Financial Analysis

The original film, Pete's Dragon, became a cult classic among a few good number of fans when it was released in 1977. 39 years later, Disney prepares to retell the story in the modern times. Critically, the film surprised many. Pete's Dragon earned an impressive 87% certified fresh rating on rotten tomatoes and an equally solid audience score of 81%. Critics praised it for keeping with the spirit of the original while giving it a visual facelift. The film however struggled at the box office earning a below average $21.5 million on opening weekend becoming quite similar to Disney's other live action adaptation The BFG which under performed at the box office but was well received by critics and audiences. Pete's Dragon may have won over moviegoers but the financial performance makes the film's lasting impact more of a whimper than a roar.

The best way to travel.

Film Review 

Pete's Dragon is a film I've heard much about but never really took interest in. With a remake announced, part of what I saw sparked my attention enough to give it a look. After seeing the film, I can conclude that the film is a pleasant surprise from start to finish. Pete's Dragon takes the formula of the classic film and gives it a solid modern day makeover that is rich, heartfelt, and full of life. The performances are solid across the board with Oakes Fegley delivering a terrific performance as Pete. Fegley show great strength in the role truly shining in more ways than one. The surrounding veterans of Bryce Dallas Howard, Oona Laurence, Wes Bentley, Karl Urban, Robert Redford offer solid balance making the film an all around engaging experience. But the true standout in it is Elliot the dragon. For a character who has no dialog, Elliot is full of personality. I could perfectly tell when he was happy, sad, curious, and frightened. Credit can go to the animation team and the performance capture effort truly bring this character to life visually and emotionally. The film's emotional backbone is also a strength that it displays. Several scenes, brought to life pristinely by the actors, will tug at your heartstrings and make you smile from ear to ear. In the long run, Pete's Dragon is a true embodiment of Disney magic delivering a keen sense of fun, emotion, heart, and joy becoming one of the summer's surprise gems. A truly perfect family film that will have you asking for a dragon as a best friend.

Rating and Final Thoughts

Disney delivers a standout modern adaptation of one its most beloved classics by infusing it with

heart and soul while keeping the essence of what made the first film special.

A friend in green, is a friend indeed