Hello, my geeky friends. This weekend brings us to Memorial Day Weekend 2013 and the traditional start of the Summer movie season. Now we all know that Summer begins the weekend the first giant film is released (This year, May 3rd and IRON MAN 3) but this weekend is when Hollywood breaks loose and all the big guns are released.Over the next several weeks we will see Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn attempt to work for Google in The Internship, Will Smith try to instill some of his charisma into his son in After Earth and the return of a Superman who actually punches people in Man of Steel, but first, here are the big guns that are pointed at the Charlotte area this weekend.
THE HANGOVER part III (R 105 MINUTES)
When The Hangover came out in 2009, it was like a breath of fresh air. A very raunchy and perverted breath of fresh air
. It found comedy gold in three friends getting blackout drunk at a bachelor party and attempting to piece the night together and find the Groom in time for the Wedding. When the producers and director took the exact same script, changed the location and a couple of jokes and released it as The Hangover 2 in 2011, the joke was already tired. That remains one of the single worst filmgoing experiences I’ve ever had. I was actually offended. Not at any joke or gag in the flick, but that the filmmakers were that lazy and held that much contempt for the audience. It, for lack of a better word, sucked. I was not at all looking forward to a third go-around but I have to admit, the trailers actually made me laugh a couple of times. I watched this tonight at a screening at my theatre and I will say that the story they have put together for this, the promised last film in the trilogy, is actually funny. It doesn’t have the element of surprise the first one did, but it would be impossible for it to. It is light years better that the second film and the cast seems to be having a great time. Like the previous films, it earns its R Rating and isn’t afraid to try to offend you, so be aware of that. But by the third film, you should know what you’re in for and if this is for you. Like I said, it is much better than the second. This isn’t a review. but I will say, if you do go, stay through the first half of the credits, as the funniest visual gag in the film is the last one, and it is worth the price of admission.
FAST AND FURIOUS 6 (PG-13 130 MINUTES)
like The Hangover films, by this point in the series, you know if this is for you or not. Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson and pretty much the entire cast from the previous films return for this go-around. This series stopped being about racing cars in underground and illegal races about 3 or 4 films back. The series is now almost an Oceans style heist film, which is actually the secret to its continued success. As Dane Cook said, every guy wants to be in a heist. Second best is to watch a good heist film. The Fast and Furious series has defied conventional Hollywood logic at every turn. By all rights, films get worse the more numbers are after the title. By 6 films in, these kinds of films are usually direct to dvd and starring a cast of actors who look something like the original actors and whose characters usually are the cousins of the original characters. These films, in contrast to that, seem to get better as they go. The stunts and action certainly get bigger and more outlandish and the movies seem to be self-aware enough to know they are ridiculous but they are so well crafted that you just go with it. This film has two things going for it, as far as I am concerned. First, it features the return of Michelle Rodriguez as Lettie, who was though dead a couple of films back and it features the series debut of Gina Carano as Dwayne Johnson’s’ partner. If you are not familiar with Gina Carano, check out 2011’s very underratedHaywire. You’re welcome.
Begins regular engagement tonight with showtimes starting at 10:00 pm.
EPIC (PG 102 MINUTES)
When I was young, there was a cartoon that came on Saturday mornings called The Littles about tiny people who lived in people’s homes and stole food and got into adventures. For some reason, every time I see a trailer for this film, I think back to that show. I thought the show was okay and I get the same feeling about this film. It looks ok. It defiantly has some serious voice talent going for it, with Colin Ferrell, Josh Hutcherson and….well Steven Tyler to name just a few. This is the new film from 20th Century Fox and Blue Sky Animation, which have had success in the past with the Ice Age films and RIO. The animation looks good and, if you’re into 3D, these kinds of CGI animated films tend to bring out the best in that format, so there is that. If you are a parent to small children, you know how long it has been since a quality childrens film came out. Since we have another Month to go before Pixar’s Monster’s University, I would imagine the little ones would enjoy this one. If you DO have kids, I would suggest skipping the 3Dversion because at 102 minutes, this could be a chore for them to keep those 3D glasses on for.
In 2D, RealD 3D, and Digital 3D starting Friday.
Well, Friends, that about does it for this week. Next week brings us Haymitch Abernathy, Mark Zuckerberg and Alfred Pennyworth being chased by Bruce Banner and Lucius Fox in Now you see me and Will Smith’s son in a flying squirrel suit, jumping off a mountain trying to be a Ranger in After Earth.
Until then, Keep the projector threaded.