Super 8

Director J.J. Abrams attempts to bring us this generation's version of "E.T." or "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" with "Super 8" and is pretty successful. He does a masterful job replicating the look and feel of the classic 70's and 80's Spielberg films. It's hard not to admire the themes of mystery and child-like wonder Abrams conveys in the movie as well as the themes of family, friendship, and heartbreak. Unfortunately, the kids in the film uncomfortably curse way too often and the story telling isn't quite as polished as the aforementioned classics. Nevertheless, this is a very good movie with good performances, great special effects and a terrific score that definitely gets our recommendation.

Bryce ***
Chase ***
Landon ***1/2
Logan ***

BANGERANG SCORE: ***

The Muppets

The Muppets return to the big screen in this fun and nostalgic retread of the classic franchise. It's not quite a homerun, but "The Muppets" does enough to wet the appetite of longtime fans who grew up with these characters. However, it runs a little too much on nostalgia and probably won't win very many new fans. The original songs by Bret McKenzie of "Flight of the Conchords" fame are fantastic and add a fresh element to the tried-and-true Muppet formula, but if you weren't into the Muppets growing up, they probably aren't enough to justify the price of admission. If you were, this is a pretty good stroll down memory lane.

Bryce **1/2

BANGERANG SCORE: **1/2

Moneyball

The premise of "Moneyball" is one of the most unique and fascinating in the history of the sports genre. It's a day-to-day look into the professional life of a major sports general manager, and it's a very good movie. Brad Pitt is excellent as Oakland A's GM Billy Beane, a brash sports executive who changed the way teams are built in the major leagues by focusing more on raw numbers than gut instinct. The film tries to be part biopic, part sports movie, and part business drama but doesn't quite tie them all together as neatly as it could have. However, this is the best sports movie in years and definitely deserves a look.

Bryce ***
Chase ***
Landon ***
Logan ***

BANGERANG SCORE: ***

Captain America: The First Avenger

Captain America has his time in the spotlight in this latest "Avengers" set-up movie. While not as good as "Thor" (the other "Avengers" prequel to come out this year) this World War II era superhero flick has its compelling elements. The overall look of the film has kind of a dream-like haze to it that makes it feel old and authentic and the special effects (especially those making the title character look sickly thin at the beginning of the movie) are very impressive. Ultimately, however, "Captain America" dosen't offer anything particularly special in terms of story and will probably be largely forgotten in the annals of superhero movie history.

Bryce **1/2
Chase **1/2
Landon **1/2
Logan ***

BANGERANG SCORE: **1/2

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Now this is how you do a reboot. "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" revamps the classic movie franchise with equal parts brain, brawn, and heart. Andy Serkis again shows why he's the king of motion capture acting with a performance that rivals his turn as Gollum in "The Lord of the Rings" films. His character Caesar is what really takes this movie to the next level. He's quite possibly the most believable and compelling CGI character ever created (that includes "Avatar") and he really steels the show. The movie can be a bit campy at times, but the overall picture is pretty stellar. This is a thoroughly enjoyable summer blockbuster.

Bryce ***1/2

Chase ***1/2

Landon ***1/2

Logan ***1/2

BANGERANG SCORE: ***1/2

Rango

It really is no secret at this point: critics tend to overrate animated movies. It's incomprehensible that they feel the need to give the likes of "Despicable Me" and "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" a pass for their shortcomings but they do. "Rango" is just the latest in this long line of mediocre and critically overrated animated fare. Despite it's incredible visuals, "Rango" starts off slow and never really gets into a rhythm. The characters are bizarre and difficult to embrace and the dialoge isn't nearly as clever as the filmmakers think it is. You're better off spending your time and money elsewhere.

Bryce **
Chase **
Landon **
Logan **

BANGERANG SCORE: **

Source Code

The previews for "Source Code" made the premise of the movie look extremely far-fetched. The question is, was the actual film able to make its ridiculous concept believable. The short answer: it didn't. That's not to say this is a bad movie. It's really not. The actors here do a fine job and some of the special effects are incredible. However, the film ultimately can't escape from or adequately explain away its premise. I also felt that the backstory of the main character could've used a heck of a lot more focus. You could do worse, but this definitely isn't on par with some of the more thought-provoking films in the action/sci-fi genre.

Bryce **1/2
Chase **1/2
Landon **1/2 

BANGERANG SCORE: **1/2