May movies

So it's that time of the year again. The time of the year that the summer movies come out. So far I've seen all the ones that I have wanted to see. Here are my takes on the big summer movies that are already out.

Fast Five:

I know, I know, these movies can be cheesy, but we enjoyed the newest addition to the Fast/Furious franchise. Basically they took all of the character from the past movies, put them together and added The Rock. Yeah, it's kind of silly and definitely unrealistic in parts. But it was full of major adrenaline and fun actions scenes. So if you're willing to turn your brain off, this will be a fun movie. If you're looking for a movie that will have you thinking days after it's over, avoid this one. This movie gets a B.

Thor:
I really enjoyed Thor. I've actually seen it twice. I saw it the second time because there were a few distractions during the first viewing, including that I saw it in 3D. I'm done with 3D. It's like watching a movie with dark sunglasses on. I'm tired of the dim picture. Watching Thor the second time I caught a number of things that I missed during the first viewing because I could actually see the screen. I thought Chris Hemsworth did a great job as Thor. The supporting cast was also great and Natalie Portman was pretty (she didn't get to do a lot). It really gets me excited for the upcoming Avengers movie. Hopefully Captain America is good so there won't be a weak link in Avenger. I rate this movie somewhere in the B+, A- territory. Definitely worth seeing.

Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides:

I found this movie entertaining enough but ultimately unfulfilling. I've enjoyed the Pirates movies, but they've never been my favorite. I only saw 2 and 3 once, so it's hard for me to remember if I really liked them or not. I do know they were too long, convoluted and overstuffed. The new Pirates doesn't suffer from those problems but it does suffer from lack of character motivations. I'm just not sure why a lot of the characters in this movie did the things they did. In addition, when the movie started I found myself thinking that the Jack Sparrow routine was getting a little old. It's probably worth catching at the Redbox, but not much more. The story needed to be more focused and actually provide character arcs for its characters. This movie gets a B-.

Kung Fu Panda 2:

I quite enjoyed the first Kung Fu Panda movie. The same can be said for this movie. It was funny, moving and action-y. And it wasn't long -- which is usually a good thing for an animated movie. If you're looking for a something to take the kids to or if you just enjoy a good animated feature film, be sure to check this one out.

Side note: All four of these movies feature bonus scenes during or after the credits that tease sequels, so be sure to stay to the end.

I'm really looking forward to seeing X-Men and Super 8, both of which are getting pretty fantastic reviews. So look for my opinions of them in the coming weeks.