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The BOP staff discusses summer movies.

J. Don Birnam: X-Men: Days of Future Past: I enjoyed this movie a lot. A lot of the drama and sequence was predictable, but some of the beginning and end sequences (I don't want to spoil it too much) involving some of the main characters were different and refreshing. I liked the bringing together of some of the cast, and the pace was overall well done. The movie could have done without some of the emotional, soul-searching pitfalls, particularly those involving the professor, that the franchise tends to fall into, but the action was sufficient to overcome this. Also, this franchise arguably has the best acting cast out there right now, and that's a breath of fresh air for summer blockbusters.

Transformers 4: Here's another movie I would recommend happily to those that are looking for entertaining summer fare. Some of the interpersonal relationship plot points are ridiculous and infantile (mostly the relationship between the main character and his daughter), but that has become expected from this franchise. Interestingly enough, the plot has points similar to the new X-Men movie: the main heroes are made mortal by a more advanced enemy, both created by humans, and both eventually dangerous for humanity. What's even more obvious is that this plot device derives almost directly from the central premise of the Terminator franchise. No matter, because the effects of this movie are spectacular, the cars pretty cool, and the action sequences highly entertaining. You won't find any ground broken, but you will be thoroughly amused through this flick.

Maleficent: I thought Angelina played a stupendous Maleficent and I enjoyed the innovative take on the old story. This movie is, to be fair, no different than the Oz live action movie we saw in recent months in the sense that they freely use and discard plot elements from the old story and make it into something that most fans scoff at but can be amused by. What's nice about Maleficent is Jolie's presence, as she's the perfect evil vixen turned good mother type to fit into the role.

Edge of Tomorrow: By far this is my favorite action movie of the summer so far. I thought the plot was quite clever and entertaining, and some of the symbolism and allegories subtle enough to provoke some thought. I actually agree with Max that I enjoyed Oblivion, but this was actually better. The ending is a bit confusing and somewhat off from the storyline you have come to expect and, to be sure, some of the supporting characters are action movie clichés. But the effects were cool, the new enemy intriguing, and the overall development well executed. Director Doug Liman always does better with this type of movie than when he ventures into more serious fare like the Valerie Plame bomb, and I hope he makes more movies like this.

Godzilla: In continuing with my theme of agreeing with Max, I have to say that this is my biggest disappointment of the summer so far, the one movie I can truly say I did not enjoy. The trailer looked so promising and yet the story was completely reinvented in ways that not even the most open-minded fan, I fear, would tolerate. To make matters worse, you simply could not bring yourself to care about most of the main heroes (who were sidelined anyway because someone else stole the show) and most of them were incredibly annoying by the end of the film. To add insult to injury, the destruction scenes were limited, unimaginative, and flat-out boring.

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