movies

Benjamin: 5 movies you should skip this summer

Summer movie season is always very exciting with films that thrill us, make us laugh and sometimes make us cry. However, not every film can be a winner, and every summer there are a few films that are better off forgetting about. Let’s try and save some time this summer and go through some films you might be better off avoiding.

“Terminator Genisys” (July 1)

I have many questions about this film. Who really wanted another “Terminator”? What are they doing to John Connor’s character? Is Arnold getting too old? Why is there not a colon in the title? This film could end up having fantastic visuals and be a worthy addition to the Terminator mythos, but I can’t help but feel like this is a last-ditch cash grab and that Arnold Schwarzenegger is just appearing to seem relevant again. The film looks as if it features visuals we have seen before, and I fear that this will hurt the legacy of the “Terminator” more than it will help it. Let’s hope I’m wrong.

“Minions” (July 10)

This is a bold choice. This is not a choice I agree with. The minions are adorable, sure, but do we need to hear them say banana for almost two hours? The minions are funny in the way a YouTube video of a cat is funny. Sure, it’s cute and chuckle-worthy for a second, but we don’t need a full movie of it. Honestly, “Minions” concerns me. It appears the 2015 movie industry is just trying to satisfy us by making us watch nonsense for 100 minutes. I hope this film has some cleverness to it, but I fear that Universal Pictures just wants an easy way to profit, and they know they have audiences in the palms of their hands.



“Pixels” (July 24)

I really try to not make generalizations about a movie based on its cast, but for this film it hard not to. With Adam Sandler both co-writing and starring in the flick alongside Kevin James, who are we kidding? This is tough to support. Chris Columbus is directing, who has a solid track record with family favorites like “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and “Home Alone.” Audiences will eat it up, but you shouldn’t have to.

“Masterminds” (August 7):

Unlike “Pixels,” on paper this film has a cast that has huge amounts of potential: Kristen Wiig, Zach Galifinakis and Jason Sudeikis. With that said though, there is seemingly a yearly tradition of mediocre to bad comedies coming out in late summer, and unfortunately “Masterminds” looks like it could continue that tradition. The promotional materials of the film are bit heavy on the potty humor and highlight funny southern accents. But it also is difficult to tell whether the film is being branded as an action film or as a comedy. The film is based off of a true story, so its plot has potential, but I can’t help but wonder if they will take every aspect of the plot and just make it entirely ridiculous. Director Jared Hess has had success with “Napoleon Dynamite” and “Nacho Libre,” which were either hits or misses depending who you ask. But if you ask me, “Masterminds” looks like a miss.

“Fantastic Four” (August 7):

If you don’t want to see “Masterminds” on August 7, then unfortunately, I don’t know if you’ll find much solace in “Fantastic Four.” This is Fox’s second attempt at trying to make “Fantastic Four” a cinematic franchise, this time making the series darker and more serious. Superhero films have absolutely blown up in the last few years, and this appears to be a last ditch effort to get “Fantastic Four” in the mix. Although it’s commendable to take a rather stale franchise and reinvigorate it, “Fantastic Four” appears to be a clichéd rehash of elements that have succeeded in other franchises.





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