Iron Man 3

Marvel has officially moved into "Phase 2" of their multi-film "Avengers" saga with "Iron Man 3".  This is the fourth time Robert Downy Jr. has portrayed billionaire philanthropist turned superhero Tony Stark and he's as good here as he's ever been.  The humor and charm of the character hasn't worn off but it's really starting to feel like he's spinning his wheels in terms of story arc.  There's only so many of these stories that can be told about this character before he becomes stale and it's starting to get to that point.  These movies are feeling more and more like the comic books that inspire them - a never-ending series of meandering installments with no over-arching story structure.  That being said, this is a decent action movie with enough entertainment value to justify a rental.  However, Marvel needs to find a way to keep these stories fresh or audiences may check out sooner than expected.

Bryce **

BANGERANG SCORE: **

Monsters University

One of Pixar's most beloved films gets a prequel in "Monsters University", a follow-up to the hit 2001 film "Monsters, Inc."  While not quite as fresh as its predecessor, Mike and Sully's new adventure is still wildly creative despite its pretty cliche and formulaic story structure.  The Pixar charm is here in spades and there are plenty of laughs to be had by all.  The new supporting cast of misfits in Mike and Sully's oddball fraternity really steal the show and provide most of the humor.  The film's message about hard work and not taking short cuts in life is as refreshing as it is profound.  It may not break a whole lot of new ground, but "Monsters University" is definitely worthy of the Pixar brand.

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

BANGERANG SCORE: ***

Ender's Game

One of the most beloved sci-fi novels of all time finally gets a big screen adaptation in "Ender's Game". Director Gavin Hood nails the look of the film and basically hits all the major story points, but unfortunately fails to capture the spirit of Orson Scott Card's groundbreaking novel. Asa Butterfield ("Hugo") is good as Ender but is limited by a shallow screenplay that only scratches the surface of the story's brutal themes. Those unfamiliar with the source material won't know the difference, but this is not a great film any way you slice it. Overall, a decent effort, but fans of the novel will inevitably pine for what might've been.

Bryce **1/2

BANGERANG SCORE: **1/2

42

It is baffling that it has taken so long for someone to make a major Hollywood film about Jackie Robinson. The baseball great breaking the color barrier in the major leagues is one of the greatest stories in the history of sport in America. This film treatment is pretty standard unfortunately. Bolstered by really good performances from Chadwick Boseman in the leading role and Harrison Ford as Brooklyn Dodgers owner Branch Rickey, "42" nevertheless falls into many of the old sports movie cliches that we are all familiar with. Even in its rough portrayal of the hardships and racism Robinson encountered, the film maintains a glossy feel and generic narrative that take the sting and realism out of those scenes and out of the film in general. It's not bad at all but this story definitely deserves more.

Bryce **1/2

BANGERANG SCORE: **1/2

Mud

Very rarely does a film come along that enthralls from start to finish quite like "Mud". Director Jeff Nichols masterfully constructs a Tom Sawyer-like adventure story set on the Mississippi River with beautiful imagery and fascinating characters. Ty Sheridan is especially good as Ellis, the young protagonist of the film, while Matthew McConaughey continues his career renaissance as the title character. The film begins as a mystery-thriller and develops into a poignant coming-of-age story about family and relationships as seen through the eyes of a young teenager. It's pretty long and may be a little slow for the casual observer, but film lovers everywhere won't be able to look away. "Mud" is a great American film.

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

BANGERANG SCORE: ***1/2

Pacific Rim

The little kid in all of us probably had a heart attack in excitement upon seeing the trailer for "Pacific Rim" but does the final product fill that Power Ranger / Thundercats void in our lives? Visionary filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro sure tries by bringing to life some pretty epic brawls between giant robots and city crushing monsters with some jaw-dropping special effects and character designs. Unfortunately, the human characters are about as flat, and in some cases as obnoxious, as the visuals are astounding. The premise, of course, is pretty ridiculous from the outset but the story would have greatly benefited from a slightly more serious and realistic tone. If the audience can tell the filmmaker isn't taking the material seriously, it's hard when he then asks them to invest in the film's characters. The action is mostly phenomenal but it's not worth wading through all the stupidity to get to it.

Bryce **

BANGERANG SCORE: **

Man of Steel

The last time Superman graced the silver screen was in Brian Singer's "Superman Returns" in 2006. That film suffered from too much talk and not enough action. Zack Snyder's new take on the character, "Man of Steel" suffers from the opposite problem. The action starts early and often with grand special effects and a heart-pounding score. It all looks and sounds great but somewhere along the line the story and characters takes a back seat to all the explosions and elaborate fight sequences. Henry Cavill is good in the title role and the star-studded cast surrounding him is great, it just would've been nice if the movie had slowed down and let us get to know them better. The film has one action set piece after another from the opening sequence to the final credits, only occasionally giving us moments of true emotional resonance and connection with the characters. Not a bad effort, but not the home run it could have been.

Bryce **1/2
Landon **1/2

BANGERANG SCORE: **1/2