I think this summer has continued to provide some pretty impressive offerings for your entertainment perusal. Â How’s about we talk about the last 3 Larry & I have seen and which I’ve been remiss on talking about?
Inside Out (2015)
Saw this on June 20, 2015 at the Pacific Theaters at Americana.
Pixar came roaring back with Inside Out, the latest from the studio that has had super highs with movies like Toy Story, The Incredibles, and Wall-E, but also the lows of things like Cars 2, Monsters U, and Brave.  So I was hopeful going in but I wasn’t going to hold my breath.  I needn’t have worried as this movie was spectacular.  The concept isn’t groundbreaking in that it personifies our emotions, but the story and the way it brings it all together is certainly special.  As expected, this movie works on multiple levels, as it is cute and amazing to look at so the kids are pleased, but seriously, this movie is completely meant for adults as well.  And by meant for adults, it’ll make you cry and cry and cry thinking about your own growth into an adult and how things that were your whole world as a child slowly but surely fall away.  Bing Bong steals the show and gets the biggest emotional reaction by far, but I think the clever directions the story goes just make this movie something amazing.  The realization that your life isn’t going to be all Joy and that that is OK is truly great and quite profound, especially for what looks to be just a cartoon movie.  Of course, this is Pixar we’re talking about, so it’s never just a cartoon movie.  Simply, you must see this movie.  It’s special and hilarious and endearing.
Terminator: Genisys (2015)
Saw this on July 3, 2015 at the Pacific Theater at Americana.
The reviews were not kind to this movie.  I can kind of see where most were coming from, but I’m going to be honest:  I was very entertained by this latest Terminator movie, far more than Salvation managed to do.  Larry & I were trying to even remember what the fucking plot of the last movie was and we really couldn’t remember.  So this one finds us first with John Connor and Kyle Reese in the future, about to strike the killing blow to Skynet.  Unfortunately, Skynet manages to send the original Terminator back to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor before they can, so they have to get the time machine back up and working so that Kyle Reese can go back and ensure that he saves Sarah as well as fathering John.  Sounds familiar, right?  But when Kyle gets back to 1984, everything has changed as Sarah Connor is already a badass and has her own “good” Arnold T-800 Terminator protecting her.  We have no clue who sent it (and still don’t know, so clearly that’s where a sequel may or may not go) but that threw the timeline off enough to wipe out Terminator 3 and Terminator 4:Salvation from this timeline.  Judgment Day is yet again able to be stopped…and 1997 goes by without it.  But Skynet isn’t so easily dissuaded, and that’s the story we see unfold.
It’s a helluva ride and seeing Arnold back as an aging Terminator is pretty freaking awesome. Â When he’s on screen, you love watching it. Â He’s pretty damn funny and gets shit done. Â Kyle Reese is certainly shirtless a lot and for that I’m appreciative.
The new enemy in this movie is pretty clever and throws a giant wrench in the traditional Terminator narrative. Â The trailers have pretty much ruined the surprise, but I’ll leave it for you to see for yourself. Â The “spoiler” really doesn’t amount to a staggering mindfuck, as it’s quickly revealed, so the fun is really in how Sarah, Kyle, and the T-800 fuck shit up for Skynet yet again. Â Will they stop Judgment Day for good this time? Â Guess you’ll have to watch! Â I’d recommend seeing this – it’s nowhere near as bad as critics make it out to be.
Minions (2015)
Saw this on July 11, 2015 at Pacific Theaters at Americana
The adorable scene-stealers of the Despicable Me movies get their own film explaining their origins, and it’s quite adorable.  We see their evolution throughout the millennia (apparently they seem immortal) and dwell on their first human supervillain boss of the modern age, Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock).  It’s set in 1960s London, so there’s some fun to be had at the music and fashion of the times, as well as a younger Queen Elizabeth, who can hold her own, that’s for sure.  The stars though are unequivocally Kevin, Stuart, and Bob, our brave minions who seek out their people’s purpose.  They’re ridiculously cute, funny, and cause lots of minion mayhem, as is to be expected.  I enjoyed the movie, but unlike other animation efforts that aim to appeal for both adults and kids, I think this one targeted squarely at entertaining kids.  I’m sure it’ll still make a pretty penny for Universal though!  It was still fun to watch and a decent way to spend a Saturday afternoon, but Inside Out this was not.
Movie Rankings, 2015 Summer Season Edition:
- Inside Out
- Jurassic World
- Ex Machina
- Pitch Perfect 2
- San Andreas
- Terminator: Genisys
- Tomorrowland
- Avengers: Age of Ultron
- Minions
- Mad Max: Fury Road