Three Marvel movies, two reboots, and two sequels highlight this contradicting summer of original unoriginal films. The beauty of this summer’s lies in the writers taking a premise that isn’t completely original and making it their own in the way it is executed (see Edge of Tomorrow.)

Comic-Book Galore:

Captain America 2 the Winter Soldier- Finally a film that brings life and energy to Marvel phase two. Easily one of the best Marvel movies (and summer movies) we’ve seen since the Avengers. 9/10

The Amazing Spider-Man 2- Not as good as the original Spider-Man sequel but still a fine movie. An overabundance of underdeveloped characters is the film’s greatest flaw, but the superb acting and special effects bring the film back up a couple of notches. 7/10

X-Men Days of Future Past- The smartest superhero franchise returns in what its best outing yet. Bryan Singer’s and Matthew Vaughn’s worlds collide. All the thespians are brilliant and the writing cuts all loose ends in the franchise whilst remaining a fast-paced joyride with tons of heart. 10/10

Sequels that may have actually surpassed the original:

22 Jump Street- Traditionally, comedy sequels are nothing but stupid cash-ins. With 22 Jump Street the directors realized this and had fun with it. Self-referential humor and a perfect bromance between Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum makes 22 Jump Street the funniest movie of the summer. 8/10

How to Train Your Dragon 2- With stunning animation and choreography, this visual treat may even surpass The Lego Movie in emotional resonance, even if most of the time it sacrifices jokes for storytelling. 9/10

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes- A strange case that nearly went under reboot: Dawn of the planet of the Apes is the sequel to 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which was a reboot to the Sci-fi classic Planet of the Apes. Confusing? Yes. But that doesn’t stop the film from being heart-wrenching, deep, and action-packed. With one of the best villains in cinema, Dawn is a near perfect film. 10/10

The Purge: Anarchy- The original Purge suffered from a fantastic premise that was simply wasted potential, making for a bland home invasion film. The filmmakers have listened to fans for Anarchy and are showing us what goes on in a world without persecution for a day. Expanding to the outside makes for a more entertaining film but also one with weak characters and plot. Great for a get-together. 6/10

 Reboots that do the initial series justice:

Godzilla- A monster of a good time! The king is back in this reboot directed by Gareth Edwards who takes his sweet time to build tension but delivers a fantastic ending and an awe-inspiring kaiju. 7/10

Notable Original Intellectual Properties:

Edge of Tomorrow- An inevitable cult-classic: Edge of tomorrow bombed in the box-office- released the same day as the tear inducing The Fault in Our Stars it never stood a chance. Tom Cruise leads us through a sci-fi where he attempts to win a losing battle against an alien race where he also lives the same day over and over in an attempt to figure out a victory plan. Not exactly a completely unique premise but the execution makes up for it tenfold. Witty, creative, and just plain cool. 10/10

Neighbors- Teen heart throb Zac Efron proves to be more than just a pretty face in this hilarious Seth Rogen romp. Sure the film is cliché but the jokes hit when they need to due to the spot on delivery. 7/10

Dishonorable mentions:

 A Thousand Ways to Die in the West- The eccentric Seth McFarlene was thought to be able to do no wrong as a well-established director, writer, and voice-actor. Sadly, he it is not the case in this rare comedy western. The jokes are middle school level humor and, despite the R rating it feels like this is the intended audience. 4/10

Transformers 4- Michael Bay the now second highest-grossing director makes tons of money but hardly ever finds himself on the positive spectrum of reviews. This is the case more than ever in the fourth-entry of the notorious Transformers franchise. More hyper-sexualized woman, bland or downright boring characters, and of course explosions! The film keeps the plot on the back end of its priorities keeping it on the butt-end of reviews. 3/10