Remember when trailers didn’t reveal every tiny plot point but showed just enough to entice you to go to the movies? Well, that is Lost creator, J. J. Abrams’ idea behind the oblique trailer for Super 8. It hints at a supernatural happening in a small town, but doesn’t give you the big reveal: the monster.
Super 8
Spielberg’s the producer on this sci-fi popcorn flick, and with its young cast, it has the small town vibe of his classic, Stand By Me. (Perhaps a little E.T. flavor too, though we’re pretty sure there’ll be no Reese’s Pieces or cuddly aliens in this one.) Starring Kyle Chandler (Coach Taylor in Friday Night Lights) and Elle Fanning (Dakota’s lil’ sis), the plot surrounds a group of kids who witness a train crash in while making a “Super 8” movie. Plus: all the doggies start disappearing. Scary!
Perfect for: The whole family. People who still want to know what the Island on Lost is.
What the Critics Say: Serious New York critics are on board. Village Voice called it “greatly enjoyable,” while Slate admits that it rekindles “at least some of the old excitement” of Spielberg movies past.
Our take: No more mysteries, please. Just tell us what The Island is!
X-Men: First Class
The superhero movie gets classed up in this fourth installment of the Marvel Comic series. Starring James McAvoy (Atonement) who is normally in dry, serious Oscar fare, and Michael Fassbender, First Class gives a glimpse of our heroes—Magneto, The White Queen, and Charles Xavier—before they knew how to use their superpowers, and when they were young, and oh so awkward.
Perfect for: Everyone, especially sci-fi and comic book aficionados.
What the Critics Say: Such a hit with audiences that it came in number one at the Box Office last weekend. And in an unusual alignment, the critics agree. From Entertainment Weekly: “McAvoy and Fassbender are a casting triumph. These two have, yes, real star magnetism.”
Our take: Finally, an action hero movie with some geek love.
Fast Five
How lean and mean is Fast Five, the fifth iteration of the Fast and the Furious series? So lean that it dropped “and the Furious” from the title. Lean enough that the Vin Diesel and The Rock doubleheader is still in the top ten at the Box Office, five weeks after its release. As for plot, it’s about a team of supreme car racers who… oh, who cares? It’s got more car chases than any James Bond, Bourne Identity, or Die Hard movie combined. On steroids.
Perfect For: People who want to watch Vin Diesel and the Rock compare muscles; people with low blood pressure.
What the critics say: Shockingly, they kinda like it (in a guilty pleasure way). Writes Claudia Puig of USA Today (car pun alert): “Who knew the fourth sequel to The Fast and the Furious would not only refuel a flagging franchise, but lead the pack as the best of the bunch?”
Our take: Shotgun!
What movie will you be seeing this weekend?
