The Bourne Legacy

One of the best action series of all time gets an extra chapter in "The Bourne Legacy". Series screenwriter and "Legacy" director Tony Gilroy does a great job of extending the story in an interesting way and Jeremy Renner is up to the task as the new super spy. Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton are equally capable in new supporting roles which flesh out an intense and action-packed addition to the Bourne franchise. Why the low score you ask? Despite the aforementioned positive traits, the film's interesting premise ultimately gives way to an incomplete story arc with a pointless climax and virtually no resolution whatsoever. In the end, this promising new entry felt like bait to get Matt Damon to sign on for more movies.

Bryce **1/2

BANGERANG SCORE: **1/2

Bernie

"Bernie" is one of the strangest movies I've ever seen. More than a little of that is due to the fact that the true story upon which it is based is one of the most bizarre I've ever heard. Jack Black does some of his best work here as the title character - the nicest guy in a small Texas town that would never hurt a fly, let alone commit murder. Or would he? The plot unfolds in documentary style with extremely authentic and often hilarious interviews with the people of the town in which the events take place. However the humor is sometimes overshadowed by its dark undertones. If you're into dark comedies, you'll love it. If you're like me and the genre isn't exactly your thing, you'll find a lot to like but ultimately find it a bit uncomfortable.

Bryce **1/2

BANGERANG SCORE: **1/2

The Dark Knight Rises

Arguably the most anticipated movie of the year is here at long last. "The Dark Knight Rises" is the final chapter in the excellent Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy and while it is probably the weakest of the bunch, it was definitely worth the wait. This third film is somewhat different in tone than the previous installments (which were, in turn, different from each other) but it does an excellent job of concluding the story with raised emotional stakes. The story loses its focus a bit in parts, and a few of the action sequences are a tad over-the-top, but it all comes together in the end with a satisfying third act that ties everything up nicely. Tom Hardy and Anne Hathaway are excellent as Batman's new antagonists and all the returning players are as good as they've ever been. This is an electrifying conclusion to what will undoubtedly go down as one of the great movie trilogies of all time.

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

BANGERANG SCORE: ***

The Amazing Spider-Man

A mere six years after the last Sam Raimi film, "The Amazing Spider-Man" hits theaters to reboot the beloved superhero franchise. Andrew Garfield is terrific as the famous wall-crawler and Emma Stone is equally good as his love interest Gwen Stacey. They have great chemistry together and are the hallmark of an excellent cast. The special effects and action sequences are equally impressive and give our hero plenty of opportunities to showcase his web-slinging abilities. The story of the film left quite a bit to be desired however. If you're going to reboot a franchise, especially such a short time after the originals, you need to bring something different. This movie didn't really do that. It is darker than the Raimi films and takes a slightly different approach to Spidey's origins, but ultimately doesn't feel very far removed from them. It's very well done and definitely worth seeing, it just wasn't the home run it needed to be to fully justify the reboot.

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

BANGERANG SCORE: ***

Brave

Pixar takes their talents to Scotland in this latest offering from the animation powerhouse. "Brave" is a beautifully animated, funny, and actually pretty touching story centered around the bond between mother and daughter. It's very different than Pixar's other offerings (it feels more like a traditional Disney princess movie) and the narrative stumbles a bit from time to time but ultimately the film finds its way behind an excellent voice cast and a genuinely emotional conclusion. While maybe not as dynamic and groundbreaking as some of the studio's beloved masterpieces, "Brave" manages to hold its own among the giants of the Pixar movie library.

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

BANGERANG SCORE: ***

The Avengers

The wait is over. Marvel's dream team finally hits the silver screen in "The Avengers", the culmination of five superhero setup flicks released over the last four years. Was it worth the wait? In a word: yes. This comic book conglomerate is one heck of a ride, packed with snappy dialogue and dazzling special effects. There's not a lot of effective drama to be found (it's hard to fully invest in each character's story) and it's a little sloppy out of the gate, but those are minor complaints and ultimately beside the point. This thing isn't about character development, it's about awesome visuals and snappy dialogue! On that level, it doesn't disappoint. It may not set a new standard for comic book storytelling as many have suggested, but it's still a really good time at the movies.

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

BANGERANG SCORE: ***

The Hunger Games

"The Hunger Games", based on the popular novel of the same name, has finally hit theaters and it's a very difficult film to review. On one hand, it's filled to the brim with tremendous performances (especially from Jennifer Lawrence in the lead role), some truly mesmerizing visuals and a chilling score. On the other hand however, it's disturbingly violent and provides very little closure at the end of the film, giving hardly any indication that this is the first chapter in a bigger story arc. It just kind of ends without wrapping anything up. The violence in the film isn't necessarily disturbing because of how graphic it is (although it is graphic by PG-13 standards), it's unsettling because it's against children. Your reaction to that violence will largely determine your enjoyment of this movie. In any case, it is undeniably well made and makes for a very engrossing viewing experience.

Bryce **1/2

Chase ***

Landon ***

Logan **1/2

BANGERANG SCORE: **1/2