The World’s End Way Back

Don’t panic. While the title of this article might be a bit unsettling, the words actually refer to the surprising end of summer movie hit, “The World’s End”. Holding its own against the likes of Superman, a boy band, Star Trek, animated airplanes, and horror movies, “The World’s End” steals some of their thunder with some old friends and a pub crawl.

If you check movie reviews before you decide what to see, you’ll probably be shocked to see that this little movie ranked 7.8/10 on IMDB and 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes gives notoriously low scores, so 90% is pretty rare outside of a Quentin Tarantino or Martin Scorsese movie. But after creating “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz”, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright have given us just those scores with a humorous science fiction/apocalypse spoof that will surprise you with just how funny it is.

The movie reunites childhood friends who failed at their attempt to complete an epic pub crawl, drinking a pint of beer at each stop along the way. Now in their 40s, Gary King (Pegg), their fearless leader has pulled them together, albeit reluctantly, to attempt to finish what they started. What they don’t foresee is the whole apocalypse thing. To tell you more would really just ruin it for you, so see it for yourself. Even if you don’t normally see this type of film, give it a try. It is surprisingly funny.

My other pick of the summer is “The Way Way Back”. Brilliant casting, a coming-of-age story, fabulous acting, and an awesome water park make this my favorite movie of the summer. IMDB gave it a 7.8/10 and Rotten Tomatoes gave it 85%.

Imagine Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, AnnaSophia Robb, Sam Rockwell, Maya Rudolph, Rob Corddry, Liam James, and Amanda Peet all in one movie. Now imagine Steve Carell playing completely against type. We’re talking complete and totally unlikeable. Tough to do, isn’t it. Well, he does it. And he does it REALLY well.

The movie follows a teenage boy and his mother on vacation with her boyfriend and his daughter. The boy doesn’t fit in and the boyfriend is, as played by Carell, completely nasty. Luckily, the boy finds a friend in the incredibly scene-stealing Rockwell, the manager of a nearby water park.

Rockwell may not be someone you can readily recognize like Carell, but he’s been in plenty of movies. His filmography includes Seven Psychopaths, Matchstick Men, Iron Man 2, Cowboys & Aliens, and even 1999’s The Green Mile. Trust me, you’ll recognize him when you see him. After “The Way Way Back” you’re unlikely to forget who he is. I’m thinking it’s pretty hard to forget someone who says to an obviously miserable teen, “You’re having way too much fun. It’s making everyone uncomfortable.”

This was originally a Sundance independent film, so it may be at your local indie theater. Where I live, its popularity has moved mainstream and it is playing at the big Cineplex. If you see one movie this summer, see “The Way Way Back”… and make a note to never miss Sam Rockwell in a movie again.

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