Man of Steel

I had the opportunity to see Man of Steel on Tuesday with my husband. We had high expectations going in and were not disappointed. Man of Steel is a reboot of Superman, with a completely new more gritty and realistic feel to it. Man of Steel explores the idea of what would happen if the world found out about this alien being who has been on Earth for 30 years, disguised as a human. I've been a big Superman fan from the time I was very young. The original Superman movies with Christopher Reeve used to be some of my favorites, and I was quite disappointed when Superman Returns turned out to be a steaming pile of crap. Part of what made Man of Steel better than the previous attempt to revive the franchise, was the fact that the casting was right on point. Henry Cavill plays Clark Kent/ Kal-El perfectly, and no one can deny that Amy Adams is a great actress. So though she never looked like Lois Lane to me, she played the part well. Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent and Russell Crowe as Jor-El were also fantastic. The special effects were great, but there was so much flipping and tumbling and fighting that at times I ended up dizzy. The movie seemed a little lengthy it's a bit over two hours, but it was very action packed, so by no means was I bored. I really enjoyed seeing a lot of the backstory (the movie begins in Krypton). And I thought General Zod was the perfect villain to start off the series with. I think it's safe to say this reboot was successful and that I'm not the only one hoping for a sequel. Man of Steel hits theaters June 14th.

Rating: ★★★★
Recommendation: If you're a superhero fan, go see it, but skip the 3D.

The Kings of Summer

Had the opportunity to attend a screening of The Kings of Summer last night, and I'm really glad I went. The Kings of Summer is the coming of age story of three teenage boys--Joe, Patrick, and Biaggio--who, fed up with their patents' attempts to control their lives, decide to declare their freedom and build themselves a house in the middle of the woods. They make a pact to be "men" and work for their food, water, and shelter. I had already seen previews for the film, and knew I would really enjoy it, so it was no surprise when I walked out of the theater still smiling (the audience clapped at the end, so I wasn't the only one who loved it).
The three lead actors (Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso & Moises Arias) were great, but honestly Moises Arias as Biaggio stole the show. Almost every part of the movie that had me dying of laughter involved Biaggio. The supporting cast was also outstanding, Nick Offerman in particular. I'm a huge Parks and Recreation fan, and it was nice to see him in a role outside of the show. Megan Mullally and Marc Evan Jackson were also hilarious as Patrick's parents. I really loved this movie, and it's gonna be added to my collection once it comes out on DVD.
The Kings of Summer is a limited release so I suggest checking your local theater to see if they will be playing it.


Rating:★★★★★
Recommendation: Go see it in theaters if it's available where you are! It's heartwarming and funny!

This Is The End

Got a chance to see This Is The End last night, so here we go!
I heard about this movie last year, when it was still scheduled to come out at the end of 2012 and had a different working title. I read the premise of it, and was instantly sold, so I was slightly disappointed when I heard the release date had been pushed all the way back to Summer 2013. However, the wait was worth it. This movie was absolutely hilarious. The screening was full and I saw almost everyone laughing throughout the whole movie. All the stuff from the trailers was in there, along with more scenes that had me laughing so hard I couldn't breathe. It was so much fun seeing the cameos from various different actors and actresses. The dynamic between the leads was great, which is to be expected because all these guys are friends in real life. Parts of the movie were a little out there, which is to be expected because it's a movie about real actors (not characters) during the apocalypse. One of the funniest scenes includes an exchange between James Franco and Danny McBride that I'm still laughing about.

You can expect to see faces like Emma Watson, who is just fantastic, Rihanna, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse (there was a scene with Cera, Mintz-Plasse, and Hill all together, it was almost like a Superbad reunion), Aziz Ansari, Mindy Kaling, and other recognizable names I'll keep to myself because I don't want to spoil anything. I know as soon as this movie comes out, I'll hear a lot of my friends talking about it and quoting lines from it. This is the funniest movie I've seen so far this year. We will see if the title holds once I've seen The Hangover III which is the only movie I can think as a main contender.
This Is The End hits theaters nationwide on June 12th!

Rating:★★★★
Recommendation: If you want to laugh and don't mind a little absurdity, go see it in theaters!

Star Trek: Into Darkness

Let me just put a disclaimer here. I'm not a Trekkie, I've never seen the original TV Series or any of the original films. My first experience with Star Trek came from the first J. J. Abrams film in 2009, and that film was funny, and entertaining, and the story was so intricate and good, that I became a fan instantly.

The second installment did not disappoint. The timeline is iffy but the film begins, a few months or years (???) after the first movie. James T. Kirk is still the captain of the USS Enterprise. But then there's some rule breaking that goes on, which leads Kirk to lose his ship. Other spoilery things happen, and then we finally meet this film's baddie, Benedict Cumberbatch. Look, I'm a big Sherlock fan, so I was beyond thrilled when I heard Cumberbatch was the new villain. He has such a presence and delivery, really I could get behind anything he does. This movie was just as entertaining as, if not more than, the first one. There was lots of action, and a great story line. However, the characters are what draws me to these films. The chemistry between the cast is so good, it makes me think, these actors are actually the characters they are playing, which is great because the main focus of this film is the relationship between Spock and Kirk. A relationship that began stormily, but has developed into a friendship so strong, these two characters see each other as brothers.

Ultimately, the film is worth seeing. I walked out of that theater extremely satisfied and wanting to see it again.


Rating: ★★★★★
Recommendations: See it in theaters now! (3D if it doesn't give you a headache, like it does to me)

Brave

Saw Brave last friday, because when I hear the words Disney and Pixar on the same sentence...I have to make sure I'm there for whatever movie it is they are releasing.
Brave is the story of Merida, a Scottish princess who wants to be able to choose her own fate. (see trailer below).
As with all of Pixar's movies, the graphics were fantastic. The story was great, and it portrays the relationship between mothers and teenage daughters wonderfully. I found myself wishing I'd brought my mother. I know she would have appreciated it. The movie felt a bit rushed, and I don't think it gave enough time to get as attached to the characters as I did when I watched Toy Story, Up, Wall-E, and Monster's Inc, for the first time.

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Could I have waited until it came out on DVD and Blu-ray? Yeah. 

Do I regret seeing it? No. 

Do I recommend it? Yes, but I'd just wait until it's available for rent.

Rating: ★★★