movie reviews

In a time where superhero movies not only dominate the box office, but also earn rave reviews for their quality, you'd think Superman would be able to join the ranks of Spider-Man and the Avengers. Instead, director Zack Snyder delivers a heavy and underwhelming snooze-fest with Man of Steel. Starring Henry Cavill as the title superhero, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, and Michael Shannon as villain General Zod, the movie falls flat on a number of levels, the most egregious being that it's just plain boring. Man of Steel sets up what could be a great series of films, but this first chapter just feels like a prologue — an extended, bloated, confusing prologue filled with run-of-the-mill action and long-winded explanations that would confuse even savvy comic book fans. But hey, at least Cavill is gorgeous.

This is Cavill's first time as a leading man in a big-budget film, but you wouldn't know it by his star-quality magnetism. The chiseled actor is impossible not to stare at, especially when he fills out that suit. Sadly, he doesn't don it until about halfway through the movie. The first portion is dedicated to a little history lesson: Kal-El (aka Clark Kent, aka Superman)'s mother and father (Russell Crowe) beam him out into the universe as their planet is facing devastation. First attacked by a rogue army general (Shannon) staging a coup, Krypton then explodes after exhausting its natural resources. The movie flashes forward to a grown Clark attempting to uncover the truth of his identity, and back again to his years as a confused teen being raised by kindly farming couple Jonathan and Martha Kent (Kevin Costner and Diane Lane). The timeline is a bit of a head-scratcher, but it's not nearly as confusing as the film's meandering plot. To find out more, just keep reading.

If you get déjà vu looking at the cast of This Is the End, then chances are you're a fan of Freaks and Geeks, Knocked Up, or Superbad. In Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's directorial debut, they round up friends and frequent costars James Franco, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, and Jay Baruchel (plus Rogen himself, naturally) for a comedy about the end of the world. Rather than being just another installment in their repertoire of film collaborations, This Is the End sets itself apart from their previous projects, because each actor is playing a heightened version of himself — giving them the chance to make fun of each other, while also dealing with the apocalypse. It's unique, meta, and ridiculously funny.

The movie takes us to a party at Franco's house, which is just as weird and star-studded as you'd expect it to be. Rihanna's there, Emma Watson's there, Michael Cera's there doing drugs and alienating people — there's so much celeb-spotting in the first half of the movie that you worry the second, postapocalyptic half can't keep up with all the fun. It's not an issue: when the movie switches gears to show us how Franco, Rogen, and the rest of the guys cope with the end of the world, some truly raunchy, outrageous humor emerges. It may be too over-the-top for some, but if you appreciate the comedies of any of these dudes, then you'll be trying to catch your breath between laughs. To find out why else I loved This Is the End, just keep reading.

Wedding Crashers stars Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn have proven themselves to be a hilarious comedy duo, which is why I was so thrilled to see them team up for The Internship and ultimately why I was so disappointed by the half-baked film. The two men star as Billy (Vaughn) and Nick (Wilson), salesmen who lose their jobs when their company folds. Now unemployed, they're pretty depressed to find that their skill set won't get them far in today's job market. While searching for jobs (via Google!), a light bulb goes off for Billy: why don't they apply at Google? That makes sense, right? (No.) Through the mercy of the admissions committee, Billy and Nick are granted access to Google's internship program, at the end of which they'll have a slim chance of scoring a full-time gig. The premise itself is ludicrous, but it could be forgiven if the film was well executed, which it isn't.

Once at Google, the formulaic plot is quickly laid out: sore thumbs Billy and Nick are swiftly placed in a team of misfits that include a too-cool-for-school guy (Teen Wolf heartthrob Dylan O'Brien); a smart, outgoing fashionista (Tiya Sircar); and an introvert who's afraid of his own shadow (Tobit Raphael). The tropes keeps coming as Max Minghella steps in to play the resident competitive jerk, Graham, and Rose Bryne turns up as a Google executive, a bland love interest for Nick. Not all of the characters are overplayed (especially Minghella's cocky Graham, who I can't get enough of), but the clichés are annoying, mostly because the characters and stories are underdeveloped. One thing that's definitely not underplayed? Google's presence in the film. Find out more about it when you read more.

In Now You See Me, four magicians (played by Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Woody Harrelson, and Dave Franco) use their skills to rob banks and wealthy bank accounts — and their magic touch leaves a detective (Mark Ruffalo) on their trail and just trying to keep up. The heist movie may not be on your radar as a must-see yet, but it should be — the action flick is a cool-looking, highly entertaining adventure. Here are the reasons why you shouldn't miss Now You See Me.

The Twists
The plot seems pretty straightforward from the trailer, but there are twists galore. To say much more might take away some of the fun, so suffice it to say that there is a lot going on — and plenty of surprises you won't see coming. Sure, at the end you may notice some plot holes, but you'll have had too much fun to care.

The Spellbinding Ensemble Cast
Fisher, Eisenberg, Franco, and Harrelson have good chemistry as the Four Horsemen, the stage name of their troupe. It may be an action thriller, but Now You See Me is still light, thanks to the cast's subtle humor and the script's wit. While the Horsemen often have the spotlight, it's Ruffalo's character who we spend the most time with as he tries to figure out how the magicians are tricking the world. While Ruffalo's character is much more straight-laced than we're used to seeing him, he still brings that signature charm, even when he's frustrated and being left in the dust.

Get the other two reasons after the jump.

Will Smith and son Jaden team up for After Earth, a formulaic sci-fi film infused with some tender father-son moments. Though loaded with impressive special effects, the main draw to the film is seeing both Smiths on screen together, but that time is limited. Commander Cypher Raige (Will Smith) returns from a mission to find that his ambitious son Kitai (Jaden Smith) has become withdrawn, frustrated that he's failed to earn a spot in their planet's soldier forces. Struggling to find common ground, the stoic Cypher invites Kitai on a routine training trip, but when their ship crash-lands on Earth, they must depend on each other (as the only survivors) to get back home. It's a little too convenient a premise, but that's only one of the film's elements that lacks originality.

So, what's wrong with Earth? It's been 1,000 years since the human race was forced to abandon the planet, which had begun deteriorating due to extreme pollution. Now, everything from the animals to the plants to the weather has adapted to kill humans. With Cypher wounded, Kitai must travel alone to retrieve a rescue beacon, but the video-game-like obstacles that stack up in his path are way too contrived to be taken seriously. Examples: he must carefully moderate his specialized oxygen capsules, the ground freezes at night, so he needs to make it to certain hot spots before nightfall, and, oh right, there's a monster on the loose that can literally smell fear. These are all the elements of a successful action movie, yet the film lacks heart and feels more like the introduction to a series (a sequel is already rumored to be in the works) rather than a stand-alone film. To find out more of what I thought of After Earth, just read more.

The promise of Michael Douglas and Matt Damon playing lovers — not a burning fascination with Liberace's life — will probably entice most people to watch HBO's Behind the Candelabra. But if you do tune in, then you'll find yourself intrigued by the flamboyant performer's story. After a few minutes of seeing Douglas in a pompadour wig and stage makeup, you'll forget it's him playing Liberace. And Damon's evolution from innocent farm boy to drugged-up Liberace lover and stage prop is subtly stunning. If you plan to watch when it airs Sunday at 9 p.m., then here's what to expect from Steven Soderbergh's look behind Liberace's famous candelabra. Just keep reading.

In case you thought it couldn't get any faster or more furious than Fast Five, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and co. are ready to prove you wrong in Fast & Furious 6. The original stars — including a resurrected Michelle Rodriguez — return for the sixth film in the speedy series, directed by Justin Lin. Things have changed for the crew since we last saw them: Brian (Walker) and Mia (Jordana Brewster) are now parents, while retired "Uncle Dom" (Diesel) is moping around, but they're soon enough cast back into the world of extreme racing. This time they're legal, working on the same side as the government with federal agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson). The story may be different, but the energy and edge-of-your-seat action is familiar in the best way possible.

The movie opens with a montage of the previous films, so even if you're not a seasoned viewer, you'll still get a little tutorial on the characters. Fans should be pleased to see all the crew members (Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, and Sung Kang) assemble after spending time in different tropical paradises — after Fast Five's heist, they're not exactly welcome in the United States. When Hobbs comes knocking, he makes them an offer they can't refuse: help him track down criminal mastermind Owen Shaw (Luke Evans), head of a dangerous racing crew not unlike their own. In exchange, not only will he clear their names, but also, he'll lead them to Dom's former girlfriend, the presumed-dead-but-now-very-much-alive Letty (Rodriguez). There are several solid plot twists to keep you interested, but the real star of the movie is the action. Find out why after the jump.

When The Hangover was released in 2009, nobody was expecting much from the comedy starring three under-the-radar actors — which is exactly why the surprisingly hilarious and original film took the world by storm and killed it at the box office. Fast-forward four years, and we're upon the release of The Hangover Part III, which suffers from the opposite effect. The film is highly anticipated by fans hoping to re-create the magic of the original (and forget Part II), but aside from a few sporadic laughs, the film is another disappointing installment in a franchise that should have quit while it was ahead.

I have to give some credit to director Todd Phillips, who at least tried to go in a new direction with Part III. The "what happened last night?" formula showcased in the first two films is left behind this time, favoring a straight plotline centered on Alan (Zach Galifianakis) hitting rock bottom and the Wolfpack setting off on a road trip to get him to rehab. You don't need me to tell you that the plan goes terribly awry when Doug (Justin Bartha) is taken hostage and the guys are tasked with tracking down the elusive Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong). What you may not expect is that the story is so uneven that I actually found myself missing all the blacked-out-drunken drama. Without that element, it feels like one of the characters is missing from the movie.

To see what else I thought of The Hangover Part III, just read more

Star Trek Into Darkness is J.J. Abrams's second installment of the famous franchise he rebooted in 2009, and the success of the first film is both a blessing and a curse for the sequel. It has a lot to live up to, but this isn't Abrams's first time at the sci-fi rodeo; he delivers a fantastic film that's both a satisfying sequel and a standalone movie (no need to rewatch the first one or even really be familiar with the Star Trek universe). The awe-inspiring visuals are enough to make a fun Summer movie, but when you factor in the engaging story and strong performances of the cast, Star Trek Into Darkness adds up to a can't-miss movie.

Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto are back as Captain Kirk and Spock, along with the rest of the Starship Enterprise, like Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Scotty (Simon Pegg), and Sulu (John Cho), all showing off more of their fun chemistry, but with interesting developments. Scotty has a moral dilemma with Kirk, Spock and Uhura are having relationship issues, and Kirk and Spock are working on their friendship. It would be entertaining to watch another chapter of these characters together, but it's the arrival of Benedict Cumberbatch as the mysterious villain who targets Starfleet that escalates the excitement. Ready to find out why Star Trek Into Darkness is so great? Just keep reading.

Adapting F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1920s-set novel The Great Gatsby is an ideal fit for director Baz Luhrmann. The man known for over-the-top visuals in films like Moulin Rouge! and Romeo + Juliet depicts the biggest parties you've ever seen in Jazz Age-era New York, and Luhrmann even presents it all in stunning 3D. The aesthetic is the best thing about The Great Gatsby, which falls short in many other aspects. The movie is bloated with every detail and character from the book, and Fitzgerald's text is awkwardly featured on the screen. Luhrmann is as ambitious as Gatsby's climb toward the American dream, and only some of it pays off.

There are a few saving graces, like Leonardo DiCaprio. The actor puts on the impeccable suits of Jay Gatsby, a man whose background and source of wealth are a mystery. The ridiculously rich Gatsby is king of a Long Island castle where he can buy anything — except for the love of his former sweetheart Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan). She's quite comfortable with the old money she married into, even though her husband, Tom (Joel Edgerton), is a cheating bigot. It's the task of Gatsby's neighbor, narrator Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire), to help Gatsby win Daisy back, and though the two lovers do find their way back to each other, Gatsby's pretty, pretty world crumbles as he tries to make a life with her. The movie follows a similar path, starting off strong — all debauchery, confetti, and champagne — until it fades into a drawn-out bore. Luhrmann still succeeds in some areas, though; to find out what else I thought of The Great Gatsby, just keep reading.