The May movie lineup to this season's summer movie season may have as well been a time for audiences to play catchup with their favorite characters. Some of them we have welcomed back with open arms, others we kinda wished we haven't seen again. Yet, the stand out has been.....Robert Downey, Jr.? And I fall in love with Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda?! Stranger things have happened I guess.
Movie, best: Iron-Man - Robert Downey, Jr's Tony Stark shows up Speed Racer, the Pensive Kids, and Indiana Jones on how to make an entertaining, popcorn flick and still have plenty of heart. And let's not forget the great Jeff Bridges as Obediah, Stark's back-door dealing partner who never met a murderous Al-Qaeda wannabe group he didn't like. He damn-near steals the film from Downey Jr.
***1/2 stars out of ****
Movie, worst: What Happens In Vegas - Not just the worst movie i've seen in May, it's the worst movie i've seen so far this year. Watching Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz make utter fools of themselves as two strangers who enjoy one drunken night in Sin City which results in the two of them getting hitched was just so hard to sit through, even with a running time of 99 minutes. Even more shocking is that people find a story about stupid people stooping to childish lengths to reclaim a check for $3 million in Vegas to be funny. Oy vey.
Zero stars out of ****
Disappointing, biggest: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - I was somewhat reluctant of giving Narnia another shot after 2005's overrated and candy-assed The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. And after 143 minutes with Caspian, I doubt i'm signing up for Voyage of the Dawn Treader due out May 2010. It's nice how the filmmakers made this a darker, violent Narina movie, and how they give the Pensive Kids more depth from the last movie, but once again director Andrew Adamson takes a hat-in-hand approach to C.S. Lewis's epic series and finds a way of making them into a wannabe Lord of the Rings lite family movie without the heart. By the time the final battle rolls around and the action really picks up steam, it's too little and too late: you leave the theater and you don't feel a thing.
**1/2 stars out of ****
Underrated, seriously: Speed Racer - Critics jumped on the Wachowski Brother's latest groundbreaking as too much color, too little character depth, wafer-thin plot and too long of a sit for the tykes at 135 minutes. Know what? That's the whole point. Speed wasn't watched in the 60's for those reasons. It was made to entertain, and in that regard, it does it's job. Emile Hirsch, Matthew Fox, and company keep the action and the fun coming, and the visuals are drop-dead gorgeous, although your eyes might wear out from the bombardment of the parade of colors Andy and Larry throw out there. Here's a tip for watching this movie: let it all wash over you, and you'll have a great time.
*** stars out of ****
surprise, biggest: Sex and the City - I kid you not. This young, adult male fell in love with Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte. And I'm not ashamed of it, either. The dialogue is sharp and witty, and the four leading ladies (Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattral, Cyntia Nixon, and Christen Davis) give solid performances. Peter Travers asked guys to "Stop resisting this movie. You just might learn something." Good advice.
*** stars out of ****
Welcome back, accepted: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Even at age 66, Harrison Ford proves he's still got it. As Indiana Jones, he rarely misses a beat of the archaeologist/professor. This time, he's off to find and return a crystal skull that will grant the returner the ability to control minds, before the Soviets get a hold of it first. Shia LeBeouf tags along as Mutt, as well as Cate Blanchette as the villain. Steven Speilberg and George Lucas do a great job at keeping the film nostalgic, yet new and exciting at the same time.
*** stars out of ****
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