It's great to be back! To get a jump start, here is a brief rundown of some of March and April's biggest films (from newest to oldest).
The Other Woman
This chick flick brings together three unlikely friends when they find that they are all being cheated on by the same man. Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann and Kate Upton bring down their shared love interest (played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) quite hilariously. It was fun, but it won't be winning any real awards.
Grade C+
Transcendence
In a slightly futuristic world, Dr. Will Caster (played by Johnny Depp) is assisted by his wife in preserving his intelligence and personality in a supercomputer. When an anti-technology activist group sets out to overthrow Caster's computer, it appears that the technology will never be stopped.
While it is set in the future, there is something 80s-retro about the film's style, which made for a great a-typical movie.
Grade A-
Oculus
Karen Gillan and Brenton Thwaites star as siblings Kaylie and Tim Russell, respectively, in this contemporary horror film. The two set out on a suspenseful mission to prove that their parents were possessed and killed by a supernatural phenomenon.
This film managed to be something a little different from other recent horror movies, thus it should be applauded, but it could have benefited from a bigger budget.
Grade B-
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
A fascinating sequel to the first Captain America film follows the hero, Steve Rogers, as he becomes acclimated in modern society and faces ghosts from his past.
It was a solid, entertaining Marvel movie.
Grade B
Noah
In this interpretation of the "Noah's Ark" Old Testament story, Russell Crowe stars as both a protagonist and antagonist in the role of Noah. Other cast members include Jennifer Connelly (Noah's wife), Anthony Hopkins (Noah's grandfather), Douglas Booth (Noah's son), Logan Lerman (Noah's son) and Emma Watson (Noah's adopted daughter).
What made this film worth watching was its cinematic style, which included aerial views and stop motion features.
Grade A
Divergent
In the film adaptation of the book that has been compaired to The Hunger Games, Shailene Woodley takes center stage as the strong female character, Tris. In her world, people are divided by "faction" and have jobs based on their personal values. The film begins with her faction placement test and follows her struggle as she sees her society becoming corrupt.
The film has a great story and decent acting.
Grade A-
Muppets Most Wanted
The worst Muppet movie ever? Could be. In the follow-up to the super successful 2011 film, the Muppets go on a world tour and are fooled by a Kermit the Frog look-alike. While it featured actors such as Tina Fey, Ricky Gervais and Ty Burrell, it lacked the friendly, sing-along nature of its predecessor.
Grade C-
Mr. Peabody & Sherman
In this animated film, Mr. Peabody, the world's smartest time-traveling dog (yep, you read that correctly) is the adoptive father of a boy named Sherman. The duo makes for an entertaining dynamic, one adventure at a time. What really makes the film worth watching, in addition to its family-friendly narrative, is the voice cast, which includes Ty Burrell, Ariel Winter and Stephen Colbert.
Grade B
300: Rise of an Empire
The wonderfully gory complement piece to 2006's 300 answers all of the questions that arose eight years ago. The mood, tempo and style of the film all coincided to create a world of battle that has to be seen to be believed.
Grade B+
Non-Stop
Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore and Michelle Dockery star in this mid-air thriller, in which an air marshal takes action when his flight is compromised. The film keeps the audience guessing until the last moment and manages to have a decent storyline.
Grade B
Thank you for reading! Look for my review of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 next!
