Summer Movie Reviews

The summer movie season has kicked off with a densely packed May schedule. For me though, with SIFF starting, "regular" movies may have to wait ("Angels & Demons," "Terminator Salvation," "Up").

"X-Men Origins: Wolverine" : B- (It's flawed)

Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, and a slew of new characters from the X-Men universe - Those were enough reasons for me to watch this movie at its opening midnight show. Unfortunately, my optimism was not returned in favor. I liked all the characters, and most actors did a fine job settling into those characters. However, the script and the directing left much to be desired. Even worse, there were more than a few moments of let's-assume-the-audience-is-dumb, which is a surefire sign that the movie is not that intelligent either. Finally, as much as I enjoyed watching Wolverine charging around looking angry, I wish some of the other characters had received more screen time.

"Earth" : B+ (Very good)

True, this documentary is simply a condensed version of the TV series "Planet Earth." Even so, there is plenty of larger-than-life footage that deserves the big screen treatment, which means you gotta see this one in a movie theater! (It's probably not gonna be crowded, so you can pick a good seat.) The movie employs a loose storytelling structure that worked well, and moves at a brisk enough pace to keep me interested. I did find it jarring that several animal hunting stories were left unresolved, maybe in an effort to maintain a "G" rating??

"Star Trek" : A- (Great movie!)

Smart, exciting and precise, this is what a summer blockbuster should be like!! I knew next to nothing about the "Star Trek" TV series and previous movies, and I found this one to be perfectly accessible for me. My biggest worry before the movie was: "How long would it take for me to stop thinking, 'Hey, there's Sylar!'" (the Zachary Quinto connection). Thankfully, it didn't take that long.

In comparison, I was disappointed that the opening weekend gross of "Star Trek" ($79m) fell short of "Wolverine" ($85m). One week later, it turned out that there is justice after all. "Star Trek" dropped by only 46% in its second weekend, compared to 69% for "Wolverine." Which means that when all is said the done, "Star Trek" will be the one laughing its way to the bank.