Labor Day marks the official end of Summer Blockbuster Season, and '09's wasn't a nightmare: this summer was the most profitable in Hollywood history, and critically speaking, the least offensive in recent history. In fact, four of the Top Five highest-grossing films were actually really good! In a special edition of At the Movies With Peter Travers, Rolling Stone's film critic hands out his awards for the summer's best, while banishing the summer's worst to the Scum Bucket.
You'll have to watch Travers' video to find out who earns which honor, but loyal viewers will find some honorees are more obvious than others (cough, Christoph Waltz, cough). The winner of the summer's Best Movie and Best Director might take you by surprise, however, as it sadly flew under the radar in a summer filled with teen wizards, Austrian fashion reporters, hangovers in Vegas, reboots and giant shape-shifting robots that made really annoying noises.
And just as Travers rewards the best of the summer, he also digs into his Scum Bucket for a little walk down memory lane with some of the season's biggest time wasters and wallet robbers. Remember Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian? The Will Ferrell bomb Land of the Lost? Neither come close to the magnitude of terrible generated by the summer's worst movie, which somehow still made $400 million.
Need another hint? Travers is thinking of renaming the Scum Bucket the "Michael Bay Award." For more on that and Peter's full recap of the summer, check out the Special Edition of At the Movies up top.
>>>Watch every episode of our weekly Peter Travers video podcast by subscribing via iTunes (when prompted, click “Launch application”). Every Friday, a new episode will be delivered to your iTunes. [If you don't have iTunes, download it here.]
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hdbngr63 | September 9, 2009 1:26 AM
What confuses me is how "Angels & Demons" and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" ended up in your montage. I mean, I didn't think either movie was great, but "Angels" was sure better than "Da Vinci" (you said so yourself in your, let's see, two-and-a-half star review, not exactly scumbucket worthy), and "Wolverine," though a bummer, not that awful. You put neither in your scumbucket during their releases in theaters, so I guess I don't understand where the newfound hate for them came from.
PastyJournalist | September 7, 2009 9:04 PM
Least offensive in recent memory? I'm still going to say last year edged out this year's with Wall.E, The Dark Knight (a decent movie that was also massively successful), Iron Man and even the lesser-known ones like Hellboy2.
JP | September 5, 2009 4:31 PM
I forgot to add a list of movies I skipped to see on DVD. I call the "Wait and See" list:
Funny People
Year One (I refuse to believe that all that much talent can make a movie as bad as people say that it is.)
Observe and Report
GI Joe (I'm willing to have low expectation, because of the source material.)
500 Days of Summer
Moon (Honestly, it was in and out of theaters too fast for me to catch.)
Hurt Locker
District 9 (Still in theaters, but I have other movies I want to see first.)
JP | September 5, 2009 4:25 PM
Best: "Inglorious Basterds"; "Up"; and "Watchmen" (Since summer movie blockbusters keep starting earlier and earlier, I think this movie should get some well-deserved recognition.)
Worst: Sequels to two of the worst movies this decade: "Transformers 2" and "Borat 2". I meant "Bruno".
Best Actor: Christopher Waltz - He played Hans Landa like he was the Jules Winnfield of the SS. I love how he delivers the line: "Ohhh, it's a bingo!"
Best Actress: I have to give it to a performance I haven't seen yet. Meryl Streep. I'm going to see "Julie & Julia" today, because of the two lead actresses. Quite honestly, a movie about two women cooking does sound like a really drab movie. Hopefully, the movie will showcase the leads personalities and talent and make it into an engaging movie experience.
Danny | September 4, 2009 6:28 PM
Good stuff as always PT.
Your blog is the best!!
NineInch | September 4, 2009 6:00 PM
you have a lot of patience to sit through those movies... can you stand up and leave or do you have to watch it all?
janie | September 4, 2009 4:58 PM
I loved 500 Days of Summer, I thought the writing was very true and honest...tell who HASNT wanted love in their lives but at the same time, didnt necessarily believe it in or that it could happen to them...this movie, not your typical romance flick, was sublime! GO see it!!
duffysayshello | September 4, 2009 12:06 PM
Best Movie: (500) Days of Summer
Best Director: Katherine Bigelow-The Hurt Locker
Best Actor: Sharlto Copley-District 9
Best Supporting: Christoph Waltz-Inglourious Basterds
Best Actress: Zooey Deschanel-(500) Days of Summer
Best Supporting Actress: Melanie Laurent-Inglourious Basterds
Worst Movies: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen / The Ugly Truth.
DAE | September 4, 2009 10:37 AM
Best Picture- Inglourious Basterds
Runner Up- UP
Best Actor- Sam Rockwell: Moon
Best Actress- Meryl Streep: Julie and Julia
Best Supporting Actor- Christoph Waltz: Inglourious Basterds
Best Supporting Actress- Marion Cotillard
Best Director- Quentin Tarantino
Most Underrated Movie Of Summer:
Moon
Nathan Duke | September 4, 2009 9:32 AM
Best Film: Inglourious Basterds/Up
Best Director: Quentin Tarantino
Best Actor: Jeremy Renner, Hurt Locker
Best Actress: Meryl Streep, Julie and Julia
Support. Actor: Christoph Waltz
Support Actress: Marion Cotillard, Public Enemies
Mary | September 4, 2009 8:40 AM
Peter, loved the ending montage. I am glad that I can say that I only saw one of those Scum Bucket films (naked Hugh Jackman! heh heh). Definitely agree with your pick of Marion Cotillard. Alan Rickman should be your Best Supporting, though.
hdbngr63 | September 4, 2009 6:26 AM
Best Movie: The Hurt Locker
Best Actor: Sam Rockwell; Moon
Best Actress: Zooey Deschanel; (500) Days of Summer
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz; Inglourious Basterds
Best Supporting Actress: Melanie Laurent; Inglourious Basterds
Best Breakthrough Performance: Sam Worthington; Terminator Salvation
On the flip side....
Worst Movie: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Worst Actor: Shia LaBeouf; Transformers 2
Worst Actress: Katherine Heigl; The Ugly Truth
Worst Supporting Actor: Marlon Wayans :G.I. Joe
Worst Supporting Actress: Megan Fox; Transformers 2
Biggest Disappointment (or "Bummer of the Summer"): X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Liz | September 4, 2009 1:17 AM
lol with the Pete lookalike - that sure explains a lot:)
hans | September 4, 2009 12:59 AM
did anyone else notice that south african guy who won best actor looks a lot like pete? hehehe
Jonathan | September 4, 2009 12:57 AM
Here are mine:
Best Movie: Inglorious Basterds
Best Director: Neil Blomkamp; District 9
Best Actor: Christoph Waltz; Inglorious Basterds (his screen presence overshadowed Pitt IMO.)
Best Actress: Meryl Streep; Julie & Julia
Best Supporting Actor: Alan Rickman; Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Best Supporting Actress: Leslie Mann; Funny People
Liz | September 3, 2009 11:37 PM
Lol I love the video montage at the end. I have to say I agree with all of his top and worst picks - way to have fun with the scum bucket.