Thor (Marvel Studios/ Paramount)

Synopsis: The Mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth), a powerful but arrogant warrior is about to succeed Odin (Sir Anthony Hopkins) as king of Asgard when an attack by the Frost Giants interrupts the ceremony. Against the wishes of his king, Thor, and his band of close warrior friends, go to the realm of the Frost Giants in search of answers. His arrogance and reckless actions reignite the ancient war. Thor is stripped of his powers, cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth. Directed by Kenneth Branagh, Thor also stars Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Natalie Portman as Jane Foster and Clark Gregg reprises his Iron Man role of Agent Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D.

My Take: I can't wait for The Avengers to come out! Seriously. The anticipation is making me expect too much from these superhero movies. Don't get me wrong, this movie was great, but I guess I expected more. It wasn't as good as Iron Man, but, at least it was better than Hulk (or The Incredible Hulk, take your pick.) 

The film starts with a mild scene introducing Natalie Portman's character, Jane, and her small team of scientists who just happen to be in the right place at the right time, when Thor is banished and sent to Earth through Heimdall’s Observatory, a space portal between the 9 realms. The movie then does a flashback that describes the history of the Asgardians as protectors of the 9 realms and their relation to Earthlings. This is where the movie explodes. Good thing they had Anthony Hopkins to do the voice-over. He's one of the few who could do justice to the Shakespearean levels to which they went. The grandiose Asgard and desolate, frozen Jodunheim look incredible, the battles are exciting and the acting is top shelf.

Helmsworth really steps out of his soap opera shoes and really carries the film. He plays the self-righteous douche-bag to a tee. Thor is basically Superman with a hammer and a gay Nordic fashion designer, so I guess he has a lot to be cocky about. He really fits the part well, when he battles the Romulan Blue Man Group with the powers of Iceman from X-Men... I mean, the Frost Giants. I didn't like how quickly he learned humility and humanity while on Earth. it would have been nice to see Helmsworth take his character through that transition, but I guess there was too much that needed to be crammed in, what with the falling in love with Jane, trying to reclaim his magical hammer Mjolnir from S.H.I.E.L.D. and an awkward cameo by Jeremy Renner as The Avenger’s Hawkeye.

Personally, Tom Hiddleston was underused. Yes, he does have a very prominent role as the mischievous Loki, though he spends half the film looking like a slightly more effeminate Lady Gaga. He plays the part like a seasoned veteran, but they don't delve into his emotions enough, and that's a lack in the script, not the actor. I did enjoy the interplay of sibling rivalry, as any younger brother can understand exactly as he felt.


Too bad the script wasn't put together better. 5 script writers can come up with some great scenes, but each scene is disjointed from the others without someone to pull it together. I think they forgot to hire that person. The script jumps back and forth between Asgard/Jodunheim and Earth a bit too much, but, overall, is effective and entertaining with plenty of comic relief thrown in.

Verdict: Like I said earlier, Thor is not as good as Iron Man, but it's still a must see, especially if you are unfamiliar with the story and want to be up to date and ready for The Avengers, due out next year. Thor is a pretty good start to the summer blockbuster season. Besides, when it comes to superhero movies, "if you build it, they will come". BRING ON CAPTAIN AMERICA!!!

My Rating: See it (You'll Buy it if you're a real Avengers fan)

Genre: Drama, Action, Adventure, Sci-fi, Fantasy
Rated: PG-13
Run Time: 2hr. 10min.

Rio (20th Century Fox/ Blue Sky)

Synopsis: From the makers of the hit ICE AGE series comes RIO, a comedy adventure about taking a walk on the wild side. Blu is a domesticated Macaw who never learned to fly, living a comfortable life with his owner and best friend Linda in the small town of...  Blu (voice of Jesse Eisenberg) is a domesticated Macaw who never learned to fly, living a comfortable life with his owner and best friend Linda (voice of Leslie Mann) in the small town of Moose Lake, Minnesota. Blu and Linda think he's the last of his kind, but when they learn about another Macaw, they head to the faraway and exotic land of Rio de Janeiro to find Jewel (voice of Anne Hathaway), Blu's female counterpart. Not long after they arrive, Blu and Jewel are kidnapped by a group of bungling animal smugglers. With the help of street smart Jewel, and a group of wise-cracking and smooth-talking city birds, Blu escapes. Now, with his new friends by his side, Blu will have to find the courage to learn to fly, thwart the kidnappers who are hot on their trail, and return to Linda, the best friend a bird ever had. From the makers of the Ice Age series, Rio, directed by Carlos Saldanha, also features the voice talents of George Lopez, Jamie Foxx, Tracy Morgan, Jemaine Clement and Will I Am.

My Take:  Did you like Ice Age and Robots? Then you'll most likely enjoy Rio. The story is pretty straightforward and predictable, but that's kind of what you expect from a cutesy family film. The story is nice and the characters are fun and engaging, but the real draw is the animation. With the vibrant colors and stunning scenery, this film really takes advantage of the big screen. Carnival looks amazing, and the 3D effect really highlights the depth and beauty of the fly-over scenes. This is truly Saldanha's homage to his homeland. 

The story is your basic fish-out-of-water and boy-meets-girl mix, with a bit of underlying social commentary about exotic animal trafficking. Even a homeless boy is a pivotal character. It moves along pretty well, slowing a bit in the middle, before ramping things up a bit at the end. Eisenberg (The Social Network, Zombieland) plays the neurotic Blu to a T, without overdoing it and becoming annoying, Hathaway (The Princess Diaries, Love and Other Drugs) does her usual bang-up job, and Clement (Flight of the Concords, Dinner for Schmucks) is excellent as the evil Nigel. The rest of the cast is your typical stereotype filler, but are enjoyable, none the less. 

The only real detraction is for the musical numbers. It's not that they"re intrusive, or inappropriate in any way, the issue is that they're boring and unforgettable.  "Under The Sea" and "A Whole New World" these are not. You won't be singing them at work on Monday.

Verdict: Rio cute, it's predictable and it looks great. Sounds like a kids movie to me! You'll like it and so will your kids. And, since there is a lack of DECENT family movies out right now, upgrade to 3D, if only for the breathtaking fly-over of Rio. (Childless adults can wait for the DVD... unless you're into watching kids movies alone... I won't judge.)


My Rating: See it


Genre:Animation, Family, Adventure, Comedy
Rated:G - for mild, off-color humor
Run time:  1hr 36min