Movie Reviews

Sony Pictures

Review in a Hurry: If you crave an animated adventure that isn't dumbed down, this is for you—a pirate adventure in the spirit of Wallace and Gromit.

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John Baer/Lionsgate

Review in a Hurry: It's safe to say Safe star Jason Statham kicks butt—what's new, right? This formulaic but entertaining action flick, about an ex-cop who guards an orphaned girl from gangsters, packs a punch with high-adrenaline stunts and shoot-'em-ups. But try to dodge the silly plot. 

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Warner Bros.

Review in a Hurry: Zac Efron has fallen in love with Taylor Schilling before he's even met her! When they do finally meet in this adaptation of yet another best-selling Nicholas Sparks' novel, sparks fly. Too bad the story lets the young stars down, relying way too much on the villainy of a small-town bully and enough miscommunication for a whole season of Three's Company.

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Cecile Burban/Disney

Review in a Hurry: Swinging into theaters in time for Earth Day, this beautifully photographed documentary follows baby chimp Oscar—not played by Andy Serkis—and his family through an African rainforest. Your own wild tribe will be entertained by the feisty hero and his monkey shenanigans.

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Screen Gems Productions

Review in a Hurry: There are several things to like about the multicharacter romantic comedy Think Like a Man, among them its matter-of-fact color-blindness, its attempt to really flesh out every character in the ensemble cast and the subtly ironic way it completely undercuts the points of the book it's supposed to be plugging at every turn. Unfortunately, the aspects that are less likable—the cheap production values, excessive length and lackadaisically paced editing—kill what could have been a sharp comedy.

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FilmDistrict

Review in a Hurry: In the future, the U.S. has built the ultimate maximum-security prison in space. But the inmates (shocker!) have taken over. After being wrongly accused of murder, a rascally federal agent is tasked with venturing to the penal colony to save…the president's daughter!

Despite the numerous genre-trappings, this Escape From New York meets sci-fi flick succeeds somewhat with two leads who charm: Guy Pearce (Mildred Pierce) has a ball doing his best Kurt Russell while Maggie Grace (Lost) shows she can still play privileged but this time it's way less annoying.

Still, this is a pretty by-the-numbers story.

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Lionsgate

Review in a Hurry: Venture into the Woods for laughs and scares, stay for the commentary on our sadistic, voyeuristic culture—it's like Scream spliced with The Hunger Games. A twisty puzzle, as promised by the Rubic's Cube cabin on the film's poster, this blood feast has gore galore to satiate your thirst.

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Peter Iovino/Twentieth Century Fox

Review in a Hurry: Maybe you love nostalgia. Maybe you crave extreme slapstick comedy by the guys who brought you There's Something About Mary. If so, this is your weekend. Otherwise, take a powder, knucklehead.

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Universal Pictures

Review in a Hurry: Jim, Michelle, and the rest of the Class of 1999 return to their hometown for their 13-year high school reunion. As evidenced by Stifler's receding hairline, they've all gotten a little older, but the humor in American Reunion is still late-'90s raunch. Which, for the American Pie series, is exactly what it should be, right?

Still, some of this pie feels stale.

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20th Century Fox

Review in a Hurry: Near, far, wherever you are sitting in the theater, the newly revamped Titanic now has stuff coming out at you. It's the same movie you probably love (or at least respect), with a little bit of datedness and a lot more vertigo. And mercifully, the 3-D is well done.

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