Super 8

Directed By: J.J. Abrams
Written By: J.J. Abrams
Starring: Kyle Chandler, Ron Eldard, Elle Fanning, Joel Courtney and Riley Griffiths
Rated: PG-13

MY RATING: A-

It was refreshing to see an original, creative story.

Super 8 follows a group of kids who are using their summer vacation to make a zombie movie to enter into a film festival.  Each child has their role behind the super 8 movie camera and in front of it.  While shooting a scene for their film they witness a train crash and start to question what's going on in their town.  Soon after, strange things start happening and it becomes clear that they are dealing with something out of this world. 

This film has a lot, suspense, drama, comedy, action and even a little romance.  It does not disappoint.  I could not believe that for the majority of the child actors this was their first film.  These kids were great!  J.J. Abrams was able to pull such natural, authentic performances out of them.  He also did a great job creating childhood nostalgia.  You find yourself back at a youthful time and can't help but to feel what these kids feel.  J.J. Abrams is brilliant! 
I was a little disappointed by the alien but just a tiny bit.  It was pretty good but not vicious enough for me.  Then again how scary can it be in a PG-13 movie?
Super 8 is like a cross between "The Goonies," "E.T." and "Signs."  The beginning is "The Goonies," the middle is "Signs" and the end is "E.T."
So if you're looking for a great alien film that will make you laugh, hold your breath, gasp, jump out of your seat and even cry then this is the movie to see. 

(Note to Parents: This film is not for children under 13, there is a lot of profanity.) 

I definitely say see it, see it!

Gnomeo & Juliet

Directed By: Kelly Asbury
Written By: Rob Sprackling, John R. Smith, Andy Riley, Kevin Cecil, Kelly Asbury and Steven Hamilton Shaw
Starring: James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Maggie Smith, Ashley Jensen, Michael Caine & Jason Statham
Rated: G

MY RATING: C+

A cute new way to teach kids about Romeo and Juliet. 
 
This film takes place in England and picks up with two neighbors who are feuding, the Montagues and the Capulets, naturally.  What they don't know however is that when they're away their yards come to life and their garden gnomes are also feuding.  They happily stick to their side of the fence, either the blue or the red side but one night Gnomeo (James McAvoy) and Juliet (Emily Blunt) decide to sneak into each other's yards which is when they meet and there's love at first sight.  Once they fall in love they can't bare to be apart and decide to try to be together despite their feuding families.  It's the classic Shakespeare tale told in a clever entertaining way for a new generation of kids.  There's humor, romance, adventure and some beautiful new Elton John (Executive Producer) songs.  

Now I wouldn't say it was one of the best animated films I've ever seen but it was pretty darn clever.  I'm a sucker for an original idea and I was quite amused by the thought of garden gnomes coming to life.  The beginning didn't fully hold my attention but once Gnomeo (McAvoy) and Juliet (Blunt) met the story began to pick up.  Their little love story was adorable.  But don't worry there was some action too.  Of course it had a predictable ending, not because of Romeo and Juliet, they had to change that, but because you know kid's movies have to have happy endings.   Nonetheless your child may be left in suspense which means they did a good job.  Ashley Jensen was funny as Nanette the frog sprinkler and so was Jim Cummings as Featherstone the love struck flamingo.  I was pleasantly surprised by this little film because I was not interested in it at all but figured why not check it out and I'm glad I did.  Gnomeo and Juliet is better than a lot of the ridiculously silly animated movies I've seen lately but it's also not up there with the likes of Toy Story and Shrek.  It held it's own right in the middle though.  So if you're looking for a cute, funny little animated film with a predictable, simple story then definitely check this out.  You and your kids will enjoy it. 

I say check it out but there's definitely no rush.

Green Lantern

Directed By: Martin Campbell
Written By: Greg Berlanti, Michael Green, Marc Guggenheim and Michael Goldenberg
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard and Mark Strong,
Rated: PG-13

MY RATING: C+

After much anticipation Green Lantern the movie is finally released.  Could Ryan Reynolds fill the green suit?  Hmmm possibly.

I'll try to break this complicated story down as best as I can.  Basically the Green Lantern Corps are comprised of different races from the universe who are to protect our galaxy.  Think of it as the United Nations but on an intergalactic scale.  Enter in the villain Parallax (voiced by Clancy Brown) who threatens to destroy the Universe with the power of fear, the opposite of will (Green Lantern Corps' power).  At the same time a well respected Green Lantern dies and a hole needs to be filled to help save the universe.  Enter Hal Jordan your typical egotistical, successful, flying by the seat of his pants kind of guy who doesn't take life seriously.  He also happens to be a test pilot (not sure how this helps the story) and out of every human on the planet "the ring" chooses him to join the Green Lantern Corps.  So then we watch Hal Jordan learn to master his new power of willpower while learning to fly and maneuver between his old life on earth and his new superhero life.  Of course he needs a leading lady, childhood friend Carol Ferris played by Blake Lively.  While Hal deals with his new identity Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard), also a childhood friend of Hal's, is going through his own transformation as Parallax tries to use him in his attempt to destroy the universe with fear.  Can the Green Lantern Corps stop Parallax and save the world before it's too late?  Dun dun dun ... what do you think?

Okay so I was entertained by the special effects and vibrant colors.  Seeing it in 3D and IMAX was a nice touch but not worth the extra money.  Where is the 3D in these new 3D movies?  Anyhow, I loved how Ryan Reynolds played the role.  He definitely brought a strength, humor and sensitive side to Hal Jordan.  However the story was just too much for me.  Trust me I simplified it as much as I could.  I mean I found it easy to follow but it just had too much going on for me.  I also found many things so unbelievable, not counting all of the superhero factors (flying, super powers, a costume that doesn't cover much of the face but somehow no one knows who it is).  The script just felt rushed and could've used more editing.  Some things could have been taken out while others could have been developed more.

But let's face it, you don't go to this kind of movie for a strong storyline or Academy Award winning directing or acting.  You go for some good old fashioned action, comedy and special effects and this movie pretty much delivers all of that.  I still prefer Iron Man but this wasn't half bad either.

I say see it but don't rush.

Kung Fu Panda 2

Directed By: Jennifer Yuh
Written By: Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger
Starring: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Oldman, Seth Rogen and Lucy Liu
Rated: PG

MY RATING: B-

So here we are with yet another sequel. 
This time around we learned a little more about where Po (Jack Black) came from, how he ended up with his dad Mr. Ping (James Hong) and what happened to his parents.  In the first Kung Fu Panda Po was just learning to become The Dragon Warrior but this film picked up with him being a legend.  Alongside the Furious Five Po helps to keep his land safe.  But there is a new threat, a white peacock named Shen (voiced by Gary Oldman).  Shen wants to end Kung Fu with a powerful new weapon and prove that you don't need fighting when you can destroy things with a machine instead.  So Po (Black) and the Furious Five set out to stop him.  While on their journey Po starts to remember his past which unlocks some surprising secrets and lead him to wonder what his future will be.

Kung Fu Panda 2 has a good message and a nice story.  They kept the movie funny, action-packed, adventurous and full of heart.  It was very enjoyable!  This one hit the ground running with Kung Fu.  The kids will definitely enjoy that!  They also added some more stars to the cast, though I'm not sure why since they didn't have a lot of dialogue.  But the best new character has to be Baby Po!  So stinkin' adorable!  Some of the best moments were between Mr.Ping (James Hong) and Baby Po.
I liked the ending, very inspiring.  All in all it was a charming little animated film.
I wouldn't rate it as one of my favorites but it's definitely worth seeing if you liked the original.

I say see it but there's no rush.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Directed By: Rob Marshall
Written By: Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio
Starring: Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane & Geoffrey Rush
Rated: PG-13

MY RATING: C+

On Stranger Tides sets sail with Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) on a mission to find the fountain of youth.  They're not the only ones looking for it however.  In this film they introduced Blackbeard (Ian McShane) and his daughter Angelica (Penelope Cruz) and they too are after the fountain.  Along with Blackbeard comes his crew, new shipmates which include zombies and a kidnapped missionary (played by Sam Claflin).  On their voyage they encounter mermaids, one of which is held prisoner for her tears (Astrid Berges-Frisbey), an element needed to access the full power of the fountain of youth.  Jack (Depp) learns that the water must be drunk from two goblets, one extending life while the other ends a person's life.  The question then becomes who will reach the fountain of youth first and take the lucky sip?

Now this latest installment of Pirates of the Caribbean had a lot to prove.  After seeing At World's End I was left so disappointed.  However I'm usually a loyal fan so I was still excited to see this one.  After all, 2 out of the 3 were good.
On Stranger Tides started off a little slow for me while it was setting up the story and Jack Sparrow's (Depp) whereabouts.  Naturally he's gotten himself into trouble again but I feel the first 20 minutes could have been cut in half.  The beginning was building up to the introduction of Angelica (Cruz) and when the story started to take off.  It had it's ups and downs though.  There were good solid story points that were really interesting and then there were scenes that dragged a little and needed some trimming.
I loved that this one returned to the dark side like Dead Man's Chest.  At World's End was a little too out there for me.  I was disappointed in the zombies of "On Stranger Tide" but the mermaids delivered the real thrill ride!  No singing Ariel here! 
Ian McShane did a great job as Blackbeard, the new villain.  But of course Johnny Depp was his usual brilliant self as Jack Sparrow.  I mean after all why else go to see these movies?

Overall it was a little long but fell in line with the other two films, they're all pretty lengthy.  Still, it had a pretty good story that was easy to follow with smart, witty dialogue.  I liked the new characters and the effects were great, especially those mermaids.  Dead Man's Chest is still my favorite and I think they can wrap up this series but it wasn't a wasted trip to the movies.
So if you enjoyed all of the other Pirates of the Caribbean movies then you'll enjoy this one.  If you didn't like At World's End then rest assured, this one's better.

(Note to Parents: The mermaids may be a little too scary for children under age 7.) 

I say see it but there's no rush.

Fast Five

Directed By: Justin Lin
Written By: Chris Morgan (screenplay) and Gary Scott Thompson (characters)
Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris
Rated: PG-13

MY RATING: A-

Finally an action movie that revved me up!

Fast Five picked up with Dominic Toretto (Diesel) on a prison bus.  O'Conner (Walker) and girlfriend Mia Toretto (Jordana Brewster) break him free from custody and the three are on the run.  They flee to Rio de Janeiro and decide to pull off one last job that'll buy them a ticket to freedom.  Of course things can't be that simple.  They end up getting mixed up with the most dangerous drug lord in Rio and at the same time Federal Agent Luke Hobbs (Johnson) is also hunting them down.  The trouble they get into in Rio ends up being more than they can handle alone so Dom and O'Conner call on old friends to help them out.  Tyrese and Ludacris reprise their roles and add lots of humor to the film.  Also newcomers, buddies Tego (Tego Calderon) and Rico (Don Omar)  are very funny as well. 

I must say my anticipation of this movie was very high!  First-off the delicious Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was added to the cast (as he should be), word of mouth was high and the box office numbers were huge with Fast Five making over $80 million out the gate.  After seeing this film I could see why.  Fast Five had lots of great racing action which is why we go to see these films.  They did things I've never seen done before, which is hard to do at this point.  The stunts were crazy good!
And Dwayne Johnson kicked butt!  You will be reminded that he was a wrestler first.  Great, great fight scene between him and Vin Diesel!
Loved the backdrop of Rio de Janeiro, it added a raw, gritty, yet exotic aspect to the story.  But don't expect to be on the Brazillian beaches watching lots of half naked women paraded in front of the camera.  Think again.  They shot this film in the favelas of Rio (the slums) which kept us grounded and connected to the characters on their heart pounding journey. 

This was a non-stop thrill ride!  I was on the edge of my seat and holding my breath through most of the movie.  If you're looking for a good action movie then this is it!  Best one I've seen in awhile!

I say you must see this one!

Tangled

Directed By: Nathan Greno and Byron Howard
Written By: Dan Fogelman and Jacob & Wilhelm Grimm (fairy tale)
Starring: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi and Donna Murphy
Rated: PG

MY RATING: A

Disney returns to it's time-honored roots.

Tangled is the classic story of Rapunzel retold.  Princess Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) received magical healing powers from a flower as a baby.  Mother Gothel, obsessed with maintaining her youth, discovers that Rapunzel holds the gift of healing in her golden hair so she kidnaps Rapunzel in the middle of the night.  Mother Gothel locks Rapunzel away high up in her tower where she spends her whole life yearning to venture into the world.  One day her wish is granted.  A thief on the run (Zachary Levi) stumbles upon Rapunzel where she convinces him to take her to the place where she's always dreamed of going.  So they set out on an adventurous journey that unlocks Rapunzel's mysterious past along the way. 

What a lovely little animated movie!  This was vintage Disney at it's best - a princess, an evil wicked witch and a handsome prince.  I love it!  Throw in some sweet, cute songs and there you have the Disney recipe.  I loved the animation, a mix of old and new!  They didn't try to make the characters look too realistic, it's obvious this is great animation.  They gave them big, bold, expressive, cartoon eyes but of course all of the details were there that only the digital age can deliver. 
I'm vaguely familiar with the Rapunzel story so this version was new and fresh to me.  I'm not sure if Disney stayed true to the original or if they totally revamped it but either way it felt current and classic at the same time. 
Mandy Moore's voice was a sweet, angelic touch!  Its like I heard a journalist say in an interview with Moore, seems like she's perfect to play a Disney princess.  And the leading "man," Zachary Levi was hilarious!  I had to look him up to see what live action projects he's worked on because he was crackin me up in Tangled.

All in all this movie was entertaining, sweet, funny, warm-hearted, well written, charming, cute and adventurous ... one to definitely add to your Disney collection!

I say definitely see this!