Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Just wow! Action, humor, ominous Marvel villains scowling, and Rocket.  The only thing this movie doesn't come with is popcorn and a ride home.  Basically you have a lovable unpolished rouge with a sense of honor who bands together a group of anti social misfits to save a planet and maybe the galaxy.  Great soundtrack, warm fuzzies, laughs, and pulse pounding action come in great two handed servings that will leave you sweaty and satisfied.  Highly recommended.

The World's End (2013)

With middle age weighing heavy the party legend of yesteryear returns to his hometown to complete an unfinished challenge. The latest offering from Simon Pegg, English humor with a healthy shot of offworldly weird.  If you are a fan of previous Pegg offerings you should find this one well within your range of enjoyment.  Wait for the DVD release so you can enjoy this one in the manner intended, over a pint!

The Wolverine (2013)

Logan's story continues after The Last Stand.  Fans of Wolverine all know of Logan's ties to Japan so here comes Hollyweird to provide their version of it.  If you can accept the changes made its a pretty good movie with some of the more memorable events relatively intact.  FX and production value are very good.  For the rest of us the movie is a fast paced comic style movie, lots of action and choreography.  Hugh is fairly ripped these days so having him run around sans shirt for most of the movie will have some tongues hanging out.  I'm wondering if this may be the last hurrah for the Jackman Wolverine however because for an ageless character he is looking old. Still a fun ride and if you are a fan of the genre its head and shoulders better than Origins. Recommended.

The Conjuring (2013)

'A 'based on true events' story about a demonic possession.  This is kind of a modernized version of Amityville Horror or Poltergeist with some Paranormal Activity style FX.  Using a 'less is more' mentality along with a semi documentary style presentation works well to produce atmosphere and some overall creepiness.  There are a couple good 'gotcha' scenes and I have no doubt casual movie goers will get a nice chill during some of the other scenes (one such is pictured). So does it live up to the hype? For me sadly it did not, I may have to just accept I have become far too jaded to be scared by anything likely to be shown in US theaters. Was it entertaining? Yes I would say it is, and I don't imagine many fans of the genre will come away thinking they got cheated.  If you want actual scares this may be your best bet this summer.

Maniac (2012)

A small shop owner leads a double life as an obsessive serial killer. I think the thing that stands out most about this one, aside from Frodo Baggins as a wide eyed knife wielding murderer, is the clever camera work.  Shifting from pov to conventional shots during the murders creates an effective 'you were there' feel during those sequences.  FX and production value are both good and creates an effective overall 'creepiness' to this offering. The killer is both torn and driven and his psychosis is effectively portrayed.  Clever work overall and fans of the thriller genre may find much to like with this one.

Pacific Rim (2013)

Giant monsters invade the Earth and giant robots are built to combat them. Transformers, Battleship, and Japanese monster movies from the 70's meet in this visually epic last man standing style fight for the existence of the human race.  This movie reminded me a lot of Battleship, the hero and the pacing are almost interchangeable.  While not as mindless as you may think its going to be its every bit as action packed.  Great FX and overall good production value help to make it easier to overlook some of the sillier aspects while enjoying the mayhem. Not for everyone but if you enjoyed Battleship its a good bet you will like this one as well. Recommended.

Oblivion (2013)

After an alien invasion a handful of humans are tasked with claiming the remaining resources of Earth for a move to Titan.  Easily the best Tom Cruise movie since Minority Report.  Production value and FX are both top shelf.  Story wise you will see elements of Moon, The Matrix, The Island and 2001, creating a clever but simple plot that serves the pacing well by creating tension and enough depth to move things forward without bogging things down with too much detail and complex character development.  Roles like these make you forget that Tom Cruise is crazy in real life.  Anyway, I was thoroughly entertained throughout and for sci-fi fans its hard to imagine missing with this pick.  Recommended.

Silk (2006) "Gui si" (original title)

A crippled scientist discovers a way to trap ghosts to power anti-gravity technology.   Hard to classify this one, horror/thriller/sci-fi perhaps?  Whatever camp you are in the story is well developed and multifaceted despite its minimalist aspects.  FX are respectable if not stellar and fans of Asian horror will recognize some fairly standard 'ghostly' behavior.  Being the nerd that I am it was the scientific angle they use to propel the story forward, tying physics to the supernatural, that really made this one work for me.  Very entertaining with a bit of a twist on the end that may be a little surprising. Enjoy.  Recommended.

The Lone Ranger (2013)

Re-imagining of the venerable masked lawman.  I went into this expecting a total train wreck like Wild Wild West.  Alas no it wasn't as bad as it could have been.  That doesn't mean it was good either.  They could have called it the Tonto refuses to shave his girly 'stache and a white horse named Silver show.  Typical Disney framework but a lackluster build up.  It has its moments however, one of them being the rather small role of Hellena Bonham Carter and her amazing ivory prosthetic. Younger audiences may find things more entertaining but I don't know how many young people are interested in cowboys and Indians these days so it makes one wonder who their target audience was. Not as bad as a TSA cavity search but less fun than a voucher to the buffet.  If you must see it my advice is make it a rental.

Olympus Has Fallen (2013)

North Korea stages an assault on the white house.  A lot of name juice in this Gerard Butler dick measuring fest.  Action is pretty intense but the level of belief suspension is high as well as we are treated to a series of blunders, ignoring of protocol, and some pretty serious WTF?!s.  But if you can get past all that you have a pretty intense adrenaline filled 1 super dick against the world style movie that is pretty damn fun to watch.  Won't win any awards but I doubt you will come away too disappointed.  Take out brain, put on bib and let the ass kicking commence.

World War Z (2013)

Brad Pitt does a zombie movie.  The best one word description is big.  The budget on this had to be more than the last 20 years of zombie movies put together.  What they come up with is a War of the Worlds mass panic mashed into 28 Weeks Later and finishing off with Legion.  Overall its fairly entertaining although I was miffed at some of the gimmicks they pulled to increase tension (you build a wall then don't man it or send one of the 2 dozen helicopters buzzing around to keep eyes on the enemy, really?)  Formulaic and doubtful to recoup at box office.

Devil's Pass (2013) "The Dyatlov Pass Incident" (original title)

A group of people set off to discover/document the infamous secret of the Dyatlov Pass incident.  Okay as you may already know I'm not a big fan of 'found footage' style movies however this one has as its basis an actual unsolved mystery, and I just luv that kind of shit.  About 2/3rds of the movie is about what I have come to expect of these kind of projects, a lot of 'drama' and not much story.  But then something interesting happens and the story takes a sharp left turn into weirdville.  They throw some pretty good misdirection out there then totally run the other direction (and props for where they go with it).  One of the more memorable endings although not entirely unpredictable once you reach a certain point.  Nice sort of thriller/sci-fi package is what you have here.  I have to say I enjoyed this one and not looking up a dripping nostril helped more than you think.

Evil Dead (2013)

Five people go to a remote cabin in the woods on an intervention for their drug addicted friend.  As a huge fan of the Rami/Campbell original I was chomping at the bit to see this one.  I have to say I came away conflicted.  While the story in this version has more meat on the bone and the dialogue in places seems more natural they toss in these random props that kind of take away from the atmosphere they should be creating instead of have some guy holding up an 'applause' placard (the red writing in the Necronomicon). In some places the idiot factor goes completely off the chart and while I know its the norm for slasher bloodbath style horror movies they lay it on pretty thick.  The level of violence is extreme however, along with good, if not great, FX. There are definitely some memorable scenes which I think will work better with people who haven't seen the original (for me the demons of the classic are MUCH better than the demons in this one).  I think fans of the genre should give this a look, if nothing else so you can say you saw it.  There are some places where those with aversions can find a nice chill. A gimmick Twinkie for those who sit through the credits.

Safe Haven (2013)

Chick flick romance with a supernatural twist.  I will admit I wasn't looking forward to seeing this but now I'm glad I did.  Another nothing really new but well presented with a good production value.  Dialogue is natural for the most part, a couple of things bugged me (they could have pulled back on the melodrama in a couple places and these rude disrespectful movie kids are really bugging me).  Nice sweet love story with a hitch (took me by surprise) and a warm fuzzy on the end. Well worth your time and as far as chick flicks go shouldn't make your man freak out (cause there is some man style stuff too..lol).  Recommended.

Odd Thomas (2013)

A guy who can see the dead takes it upon himself to be the unsung hero of town.  This was a fun if not entirely unpredictable ride.  Done in the popular and effective narration style our hero, working with the police chief, have to stop a massive calamity about to demolish their close knit community.  I really enjoyed this one, it was fun, unpretentious, and though not really fresh was very well presented.  The bitter sweet ending will bring a tear to the eye of salty old softies. Recommended.

Compulsion (2013)

A wannabe and a hasbeen collide in this weird meandering drama with some thriller sprinkled on top.  This is a strange little movie made by someone whose 3 favorite movies are Fried Green Tomatoes, Mulholland Drive, and The War of the Roses; doesn't seem to really go anywhere, just sorts of meanders around and only hints at the big reveal (in FGT they left no doubt).  Production value is good and Heather Graham does a respectable crazy mannequin bit.  Maybe make it a Redbox night if nothing else is standing out.  A couple memorable moments but thats about all you get with this one.

The Purge (2013)

In the 'new' United States all problems are solved by a single annual night of lawlessness. Cliche's, dysfunctional characters, and lack of imagination abound in this less than thrilling 'thriller'.  I had no plans to see this one thinking (rightly) it would be too much like Panic Room (which I didn't care for).  But the opportunity came up so I had a look. So as the movie starts I'm thinking that I had it pegged all wrong and it was going to be a thoughtful and interesting movie.  Sadly I was incorrect with that as well.  Personally I'm getting tired of this portrayal of families as a bunch of strangers who just dwell under the same roof.  NOTHING in this movie would have happened (except perhaps the rather weak mob scene at the end) had it not been for the 2 kids that represent what exactly? A generation who can't manage to stay focused for a single night if their lives are on the line?  Too much of this movie made no sense and none of the characters represented anything more than placeholders for the next gimmick.  Movies like this make me feel cheated out of the price of admission.

Fast & Furious 6 (2013)

6th offering in the Fast and Furious franchise.  More of the same that made the first 5 but with a shot of NOS to the crazy meter.  Saying this movie is off the hook doesn't even come close to expressing the amount of insanity in this one.  I don't know if they are doing live stunts these days but wow! and damn!  If you are a fan of the other 5 you NEED to see this one.  For those of you who haven't seen any of the previous offerings this is guy dream T sickle concentrate in a bottle... skin, fast cars, guns and lots of destruction.  Hard to imagine how they will top this one.  My one complaint is they crash the Superbird (I almost cried). Highly recommended.

Man of Steel (2013)

The latest incarnation of Superman.  After a rather slow and tedious start with the end of Krypton and the launching of baby Kal El in his pod, things shift into high gear and we jump straight to adulthood. Thankfully his childhood is kept to flashbacks and rememberings. Lots to like with this one.. the Super is super hunky for starters, plenty of action, and some soft fill for his background on Earth.  There are considerable changes made to the 'standard' origins and such but for casual and younger viewers it won't make any difference.  I do like how Zod was imagined (after the scenes on Krypton) and the tec stuff was cool.  The door is left wide open for a sequel and given the numbers at box-office I can't imagine there won't be.  Overall I will have to say I was pleased but its best that you don't take your whole brain with you and start asking questions. Spicy sauce. Recommended.

Phantom (2013)

A based on 'true' events accounting of a soviet submarine during the cold war and a plot to change the world.  Pretty much like every sub movie to date with a 6th Sense ending. Nothing really special about this one, all players and FX are respectable, reasonably entertaining. I wouldn't spend the coin to see this on the big screen but red box might be a good pick.