This summer, like every summer, has been full of both triumphs and failures at the box office. Not because the failures made less money, as usual, but because there were some particularly good films that actually deserved a huge turnout.

One of them is "Minority Report," which not only surpassed expectations by being the first summer action movie in history to live up to its trailer, but defied the more cynical claims that Stephen Spielberg cannot make a movie that isn't too sappy for its own good.

Tom Cruise admirably plays a master cop in a near-future agency that uses the premonitions of special "precognitives" to stop murders before they happen. While this premise has potential for disaster, especially in the hands of someone who tends to play with films like a child playing with blocks, Spielberg manages to stay on task.

"Minority Report" ended up being exciting, interesting, a little dark and just a little purposeful in its quest for sci-fi action greatness ÷ not to mention the mind-blowingly unique special effects.

"Signs" was another pleasure to pay for. The third of writer/director M. Night Shyamalan's gifts to the box office, it tells the story of a disillusioned preacher who finds his farm and his family invaded by mysterious visitors from above.

Shyamalan's clearly Hitchcock-inspired sense of simple style allows the audience to focus on what's going on with the characters. And there's a lot going on. Between the performances of the entire cast ÷ including Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix ÷ we manage to end up more concerned about the main character's faith in things than the unsettlingly spooky activities of the aliens.

All in all, "Signs" is a refreshingly interesting and original film that fits masterfully within its boundaries.

There were some duds this summer, as well. What the hell happened with "The Bourne Identity?"

One minute you're watching Matt Damon and Franka Potente running around while Matt hits people in cool ways, enjoying yourself, then all of a sudden a few random events send the plot spinning into anyone's-guess-as-to-what-happened land and they're playing the ending music.

Huh? How can you mess up an action movie that has only the simplest of premises to begin with? The guy doesn't remember anything but he knows how to kill people; all you have to do is tell us why. Throw us anything, a title card at the end if you have to.

It's one thing when bad filmmakers try to make really complex, arty films. This is an action movie. We're used to dumb plots and worse resolutions, but we expect at least that much.

"Scooby Doo" and "Mr. Deeds" are hardly worth mentioning, since anyone who pays to see them knows what they're getting into and doesn't need me to tell them.

But Stephen Soderbergh's latest film "Full Frontal" may lure moviegoers with its fresh new attitude and cutting edge style.

It's trash. It's the most arrogant, overindulgent, whiney, boring film to come out in a long time, and Soderbergh should have his moviemaking privileges suspended until he learns to be considerate of others.

"Full Frontal" has no real plot ÷ just a lot of deliberately crappy-looking footage of Hollywood types walking around crying and talking to themselves about what miserable, co-dependant wretches they are.

Soderbergh seems to be saying, "look, this is Hollywood, this is us and we have problems just like you." What he fails to realize is that no one cares enough to sit through his terrible movie.