The summer movie season shows us, more than any other time of year, how supremely good and how horribly bad the medium can be. This summer gave us some good, a few mediocre and several downright awful options. But no matter how asggravating it can be to look back on the summer that was, an assessment is in order. After all, there were some diamonds in the rough.  

Let’s face it — we need summer movies. The money they take in is a positive sign of life in a movie business that’s been on the proverbial landslide for the last few years. While the 2011 lineup appears to be sequel and reboot heaven, there’s plenty more to make it an appealing grab-bag of options.  

Tricycles and thongs are sore subjects for Brian Stevens — literally. “It (the thong) was uncomfortable and caused a lot of pain,” Stevens says. “And it took forever to shoot the scene because certain things kept falling out.” The co-writer and star of the independent comedy The General Specific had to fight through the pain for his role as Wally Floorie.  

I'll skip the diatribe about how the year in movies has been so far. It sucks. Let's look forward. The second half of the year brings everything from film festival favorites and art house Oscar bait to documentaries and big-budget blockbusters.  

Walt Disney ran into roadblocks with Bambi. Struggling with the script and overall structure, he delayed its release and began work on Pinocchio — a story from Italian author Carlo Collodi about the adventures of a wooden puppet who becomes a real boy. But Disney again strained over the script, revising and tweaking a story that was episodic in nature.  

Chances are the Walt Disney Company is counting their blessings that they didn't part ways with Pixar after making 'Cars.' The computer animation juggernaut — and arguably a Disney savior — has again proved who wears the pants in the relationship.  

Richard Jenkins should work more ... or at least be in more films like "The Visitor," a compelling but sometimes preachy look at the hot-button issue of immigration and deportation.  

Chris L. Walker Senior, Anthropology Major Q: What are the campus issues people are talking about? A: I think there’s a big violation of First Amendment rights on campus.  

Ahh, the fall — the temperature is cooler, the air is crisper and the films are better. Several films have already gotten the ball rolling with early Oscar buzz, while others have yet to be tested in the awards season frenzy. Here’s a sampling of what this year’s final months have to offer.