CREDIT: UNIVERSAL PICTURES
Bryce Dallas Howard gives female protagonists a run for their money - literally - as she gets chased by dinosaurs through Jurassic World, in heels.

There were a lot of big movies full of big names this summer. For those with better things to do than sit in a theatre watching cinematic adventures, here’s a breakdown of some you might have missed.

Jurassic World

With a hunky Chris Pratt and a calmly competent Bryce Dallas Howard, Jurassic World shows us the park after 20 years of image recuperating and genetic advancements. Those who loved the first will probably love the nods to the original film, and the use of animatronics makes the film feel almost real. Sadly, the 3D ruins a lot of the great things done with the graphics, so it’s better to watch it in fewer dimensions.

Mad Max: Fury Road

Another reboot, the titular Max does fairly little in the film, but instead is the guy things happen around. Although you may wonder why Bane is grumbling his way across a desert while insane people cover themselves in probably poisonous silver spray paint, Charlize Theron and her fellow women make the film worth watching. The movie calls to the ‘80s love of post-apocalyptic punk imagery and has no shame in going over-the-top in its action sequences. It may lack internal logic, but that’s not really why you’d watch it anyway.

Ant-Man

Ant-Man is basically a miniaturized version of Iron Man, including the villain taking over the weapons company with a similar super-powered suit to that of the hero. Paul Rudd’s humour is a little more obvious than the dry wit of Robert Downey Jr., but otherwise this is a film we’ve seen before. The action is pretty good and the cinematics are high Marvel/Disney quality, but the lame reasoning behind why the main female isn’t in the suit is cringe-worthy and the quick outfit changes break the tenuous grasp on realism Ant-Man had.

Inside Out

Not only is Inside Out a fairly well-researched commentary on the complex emotional changes of growing up, it also manages to tug at the heartstrings without being overly pretentious. It’s a movie that can help explain how children can’t express how they feel, and remind those who are past that point what it was like to be an adolescent. The characters are somehow both intentionally one-dimensional and yet surprisingly well developed. With the amazing animation expected from Pixar and some truly beautiful and creative design work, we get a movie that can appeal to almost anyone. Just like Triple Dent Gum!

Shaun the Sheep Movie

Sometimes you need a crazy break in your routine to remind you that other pastures aren’t necessarily any greener. Shaun, the titular sheep, learns this despite everyone around him speaking in Wookie for the duration of the film – including the humans. The claymation is excellently done, and the story, even with the lack of dialogue, is surprisingly complex and emotional. The many animal characters manage to have distinct personalities, showing a wide range of emotion for sheep and dog-type things. This is a movie that reminds the viewer that sometimes the most important things are those left unsaid.