Captain Phillips

Director Paul Greengrass (director of the last two entries in the "Bourne" series) is known for churning out intense and highly stylized thrillers and "Captain Phillips" is no different.  Tom Hanks stars as the title character whose ship is taken over by pirates and delivers one of his best performances in years.  The real revelation, however, is Barkhad Abdi who plays the leader of the band of pirates and holds his own with Hanks in the first role of his career.  The film is a little light on the character's back story, which makes it difficult to fully connect with them, but you can't help but empathize with their plight all the same.  This is an expertly crafted thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.  See it.

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

BANGERANG SCORE: ***

Frozen

"Frozen" proves yet again that Disney still has the magic to make a really good animated film in the vein of their musical classics.  The style and presentation of this latest offering from the studio is very appealing on a number of levels. It delivers a great cast of characters, memorable songs, and great animation.  The songs are what really make the film soar however, providing the best collection of tunes since Disney's glory years in the late 80's to mid 90's.  The story doesn't quite live up to the music, as it is often predictable and a bit cliche, but that's a minor complaint.  This is a funny and entertaining family film that will have you humming its mercilessly catching tunes for weeks.

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

BANGERANG SCORE: ***

The Wolverine

Just like the deal Sony has with "Spider-Man", Fox has to release a new "X-Men" film every couple of years in order to retain the film rights to the Marvel brand. Inevitably, that arrangement leads to films like "The Wolverine."  This is a bland spin-off story in the "X-Men" universe that is serviceable enough as a self-contained story, but ultimately doesn't accomplish much in terms of character development for Wolverine or the overall mutant mythos.  Hugh Jackman is good in the iconic role that has defined his career, he just doesn't have a lot of interesting things to do.  Like Marvel's "Iron Man," this character and series need an injection of freshness that this film can't provide.

Bryce **
Chase **1/2

BANGERANG SCORE: **

Gravity

Rarely does a film come along like "Gravity."  It's not so much a movie as it is an experience.  It's as visceral and intense as any movie to grace the silver screen and makes an in print on your mind that lasts long after you've left the theater.  It's part special effects film, part thriller and part allegory of overcoming life's trials.  Sandra Bullock gives the best performance of her career as the lead character who's personal story and fight to survive is really the heart of the film.  Her character's back story could have received more attention early on however, as the film thrusts you into the action from the very beginning without much of a first act to establish a connection with the audience.  That connection is made as the story progresses though and it makes for a riveting movie experience.  This is one of the most jaw-dropping and intense films ever made and it's unquestionably one of the best films of the year.  See it on the biggest screen you can find!

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

BANGERANG SCORE: ***1/2

Now You See Me

"Now You See Me" is the epitome of mindless popcorn drivel.  Not that that's a bad thing necessarily, it just is what it is.  The film attempts to emulate such heist films as "Ocean's Eleven" with mild success - enough to remain pretty entertaining throughout.  It has a talented cast and some intriguing elements that keep it afloat for most of its running time.  The film establishes from the beginning that there is going to be a major plot twist at the end of the movie which automatically raises expectations and keeps the audience guessing.  That ends up working against the film as the twist isn't very satisfying or particularly clever.  This is a pretty mediocre heist film in the end and isn't really all that worthy of a watch.

Bryce **

BANGERANG SCORE: **

The Way Way Back

Good, solid comedies are becoming less and less common in today's Hollywood.  Most of the minutia that floods the genre today are either extremely vulgar or extremely stupid (oftentimes both).  Which is what makes "The Way Way Back" so refreshing. This is a feel-good coming-of-age story packed with legitimate laughs and its fair share of heart.  Sam Rockwell stands out in a hilarious supporting role that completely steals the show.  The entire film hinged on the success and believability of his character and he nailed it.  The film as a whole is a bit raunchy at times but most of the laughs are well-earned.  While not spectacular by any means, "The Way Way Back" is a great watch if you're in the mood for a good laugh.

Bryce ***

BANGERANG SCORE: ***

Saving Mr. Banks

In a somewhat paradoxical and self-important move, Disney has managed to make a movie about the making of a Disney movie.  "Saving Mr. Banks" is the story of the adaptation of P.L. Travers' "Mary Poppins" from book to film and it just so happens to be really good.  Emma Thompson is great as the cranky author who is so reluctant to give up her story and characters to mega-mogul Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) for fear of the spirit of her books being lost on film.  It can be a bit sappy and heavy-handed at times, but overall, "Saving Mr. Banks" is a compelling study of how the life experiences and personal demons of an artist can heavily influence their art.  This is one of the best films of the year.

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

BANGERANG SCORE: ***