Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

Regardless of what the critics or my fellow-movie goes say, I won't see a better film this summer.  Sure, there are other great films out this season, but Moonrise Kingdom with Wes Anderson's delightful story-telling, superb dialogue, and thoughtful soundtrack will rein.  Now that you know I love the film, allow me to tell you why.

It's a story made for summer.  Adventure, camp, benign youthful wanderlust... whatever you call it, the young Suzy (Kara Hayward) and Sam (Jared Gilman) fall in love and plot to run off together forever is the epitome of youthful dreams.  It's the local townspeople who besmirch the innocent relationship that is not entered into lightly by our two protagonists.

The cast imbues a lovely reticent tone. Anderson's muses... Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman are flanked by Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, and Bruce Willis--who takes a lovely understated tone as Captain Sharp.  And finally!!  Someone understands the greatness that is Edward Norton.  Anderson does not bother with unneeded character development.  The adults are merely flawed adults who impose their own misgivings onto the children in their care.

Anderson's humor has not dulled.  With delightful names like Lazy Eye, Nickleby, Skotak and Gadge, Anderson's characters provide understated laughter and sweetness without the cloying sentimentality. Children are mean, so Anderson's streak of viciousness and black humor are present without being gratuitous.

From the opening frames to the closing credits, charm seeps out of every detail.  The illustrated book covers, the Khaki Scouts uniforms... stylistically speaking, Anderson have created an alternate universe in 1965 that maintains the nostalgia and embraces the sadness of reality.

And finally, the musicality of the soundtrack is quintessentially Anderson's.  Who else would have the guts to pair Hank Williams with Schubert and Mozart?

As I see it, Moonrise Kingdom is for the child in all of us.  The one we so neatly tuck way as we age.  The one that slowly dies as we spend out days in a cubicle.  The one who remembers when all you needed was a compass and a coonskin cap for life's grand adventures.

Rock of Ages (2012)

Rock of Ages is a train wreck--an incredibly cheesy, super corny and undeniably entertaining train wreck.  What else would you expect from director Adam Shankman?!  In a movie that pulls the greatest tunes from Journey, Def Leppard, Twisted Sister, Foreigner, Joan Jett, Poison, Bon Jovi and Night Ranger and proceeds to whirl them around an ensemble cast of odd-balls, you won't get an Oscar nominee.  What you do get is a hot damn mess.

Centered around a love story between Julianne Hough and some dude, it's the musicality of the film that's worth a watch... and the corny delivery from the likes of Russell Brand, Alec Baldwin, Paul Giamatti, and Tom Cruise.  I was a little worried when Julianne Hough (of Dancing with the Stars fame) tries to belt Sister Christian, but if you embrace the film for it's hedonistic ways and satirical smarts--you are guaranteed a good time.

Mad props to Tom Cruise who plays Stacee Jaxx (part Brett Michaels, part Buddhist monk) with conviction.  Staring into the blue soulless eyes, you can feel the pain of Cruise/Jaxx.  This viewer cringed (and secretly wondered) if Cruise was crying out for help when as Jaxx, Cruise answers the Rolling Stone reporter 'I know me better than anyone... because I live in here... and nobody else can.'

Cringe-worthy moments include just about every scene with Julianne Hough and the Baldwin/Brand rendition of 'I Can't Fight this Feeling Anymore'.  Mary J. Blige adds class.  Constantine Maroulis detracts.  Brian Cranston, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Paul Giamatti are well...so brave, so awesome.

As I see it, Rock of Ages is ballsy, walking the line between the glorious excess of rock and roll and nut shots to pop-culture as we've come to know it.  The film revels it it's self awareness and for that reason--much like its many predecessors--Hairspray, Saturday Night Fever, Spinal Tap, Grease--Rock of Ages is a glorious success.