Kung Fu Panda 2

Po returns to battle evil with his improved kung-fu skills and this time he will be rocking out in another dimension of awesomeness. Dreamworks, never one to let a franchise die until the last drop of profit and respect is drained out of the series, plans to make this a six-part series. While an action movie can usually extend itself as long as it has a credible threat from a powerful villain, one can't help but think how many times you could hear Jack Black as a panda. Well on the plus side, two is not that number because it is still fun to hear his voice behind this butt-kicking bear.

Po returns with the aid of the furious five as Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Viper (Lucy Liu), Mantis (Seth Rogan), and Crane (David Cross) are set to do battle with a peacock. One may ask how a peacock can be considered a credible threat; the answer is easy: give him the mind and voice of Gary Oldman. And with the development of fire power he plans to put an end to kung-fu and conquer all of China. Now that is one evil peacock.

At times the story seems over run with characters and there is just not enough screen time for all of them. The Furious Five seem to have been combined into one character with Jolie doing most of the talking for the group. If Jackie Chan says more than three lines of dialogue I would be surprised. While we may not hear from many of the characters from the original, the new characters leave their mark, namely the aforementioned peacock and Michelle Yeoh as The Soothsayer.

Also infectious is Jack Black who seems to be the perfect fit as the hero. Po still seems to be an awe of his skill and action. His character can't seem to believe that he is living out the fantasies he once acted out with action figures in his bedroom. His character doesn't seem to be allowed to riff anymore but maybe that is because the original writing team decided to deal with his parental issues so he has a lot more on his panda shoulders.

Po's quest to find his birth parents and who he really is allows the movie to mature a little bit and distance itself from the goofiness of the last movie. For those of you bringing the children along, the memory flashbacks can be a lot to take in and may even spark some questions from the youngsters. Not that this should be a deterrent, and not that we see anyone actually get hurt but it should be noted they do let loose on this part of the story and allow it to become a little dark, and for the really little ones these scenes can be intense. Rest assured everything works out because this is still a kid’s movie and lest we forget they are trying to make another four of these movies.

Besides realizing the need for a good plot to go with their talking animals, Dreamworks is one of the few studios that really know how to properly take advantage of 3-D. They were able to do it in 'How to Train Your Dragon' and do a good job with it again. There are some classic moves of things flying out at the audience, but it also enhances the Chinese landscape. The most effective use of the technique is the end credits and the flashbacks, the artists do a great job enhancing these scenes. The soundtrack also does a wonderful job to enhance the tension and inner peace our protagonist finds in the film. While I was watching I couldn't help but be impressed and then I found out that Hans Zimmer did the score and suddenly it all made sense, the man knows what he is doing.

'Kung Fu Panda' does a fine job entertaining the audience with a new story from a loveable character. It is easy to revert to the last movie and take all the points that were successful from the original and apply it to the new movie (read: Hangover 2), but the second Panda movie decides to branch out and try something new and I think it works. The fireworks fly in this movie and it is always a treat to find a movie that both children and parents can enjoy. B

The Hangover Part II: How does this keep happening?

They keep asking this question throughout the first half of the movie, and I found myself asking the same thing through the second half. In 2009 Todd Phillips had the highest grossing R-rated comedy of all time, so asked himself why change a winning formula, and for those looking for more of the same, the answer is he didn't.

What was great about the first one was that, you had no idea what was coming. Each moment they tried to up the ante. Phillips had a hand in writing this one and I'm not sure what he did, but it looks like he took the last script and copied over all the big points and put them in the exact same spot. I'd be interested to see what would happen if you screened the two movies together side by side, I wouldn't be surprised if some of the same jokes hit at the exact same time.

But for what it's worth, this time it's not Doug that is getting married it’s Stu, played again by Ed Helms. The bride to be is not Heather Grahmn's character but rather a very nice Taiwanese girl named Lauren, played by Jamie Chung. And as a favor she asks Stu to bring along her brother Teddy, who plays the role of Doug by getting lost in the city. Phillips may think that by moving the location to a foreign city that this is enough to increase the danger, but really all it does is force them to ask for directions a lot.

Bradley Cooper is back as the leader of the wolf pack, while Zach Galifianakis is back as the stay at home son. All three men do a fine job reprising their roles; Galifianakis is a little more on the annoying side this time around, but the other two male leads play opposite him so graciously that it still works. Ken Jeong is around a little more this time as the effeminate gangster and it is a welcome addition to mix things up a little bit, he adds to the chemistry of the crew and takes some of the jokes that would be delivered by Galifianakis which is a welcomed new delivery.

With Mr. Chow now part of the crew Paul Giamatti is playing the role of the gangster they need to help. And that isn't the only substitution they have, Stu still has his song, but this time he is rockin out on the acoustic guitar. Playing the role of the tiger/baby is a chain-smoking drug dealing capuchin monkey. This year Stu's missing tooth was played by Mike Tyson's tattoo which I'm sure most of you saw in the trailers. They still go to a strip club where Stu falls in love with one of the dancers, which while repetitive leads to one of the funnier moments in the movie.

But really who am I to judge just this past weekend I woke up in my clothes wondering how the night finished off only to find out that my buddy almost got raped, my other friend fooled around with some girl on the floor, I hit on a bridesmaids relentlessly while enraging her big black boyfriend, broke a door at a hotel, and then as retribution most of my crew including myself got punched in the crotch Johnny Cage style. So I could probably ask myself the same question, how does this stuff keep happening, and then I remember, it's because I am looking for a good time. The movie is ridiculous and repetitive, but if you know what you are getting into before you walk in, it can be a good time and really funny. C+

Thor

The superhero movie has been a staple of the big budget studio blockbuster for a decade now. They always make it one of their tent pole movies; and even if it gets bad reviews the studio always gets their money back, and then some. Since movies like ‘The Dark Knight’ and ‘Iron Man,’ the bar is now so high it may not be possible to just crank these movies out. Unless you are looking to only use this plot as a jumping off point to a huge ensemble undertaking next year that already have fanboys excited in their pants. Then maybe it’s acceptable, maybe.

Marvel's newest addition in preparation for next year's ‘Avengers’ epic is ‘Thor.’ One of the more boring heroes in the Marvel Universe, the Norse God, much like others who share his mythology, are defined by what they oversee. The God of Thunder is a warrior who wields a powerful hammer, and that is about it. But he has always been a part of the Avengers so why not give him his own movie.

The story breaks down into two different narratives, one while Thor is on Asgard and one while on Earth. While they do overlap, they also seem to be fairly different in tone, which may well be explained by the stable of writers that worked on the script. While on Asgard he is set to take the throne until his father Odin realizes his son is an arrogant shit and banishes him to Earth. While on Earth he tries to adapt to his new life. There is a lot more to it, stuff involving a hammer and his brother but I don't like giving away too much in these reviews. And frankly the story is kind of all over the place with the objective of the movie changing every 20 minutes or so realizing they need to do something else.

I saw this movie in 2D and am glad I did, as there is rarely an instance I feel the need to shill out more money for a pair of glasses. That is until they re-release ‘Apocalypse Now’ into theaters in 3D. The computer generated worlds were very impressive, I wonder if they looked better in 3D or if it lost some of the sharp contrasts in the conversion. Asgard seems like a wonderful place to live especially with Anthony Hopkins as your leader, I don't think I would have a problem living under his rule. While I may have a problem living under the rule of Stringer Bell, I don't think I would have as much of a problem as these people did. But the stand out deity in the film is Loki.

Loki has always been kind of a dick, both in Norse mythology and in the Marvel Universe. Tom Hiddleston does a great job making him a little more complex than that. One of the very few things I knew about the Thor series was that Loki was not only Thor's arch-nemesis, but his half-brother. Hiddleston does a wonderful job capturing Loki's evil ways but also conveying the love he has for his family. The jealousy he feels for his older brother is something that siblings everywhere can relate to making this villain one of the few I have ever felt sympathetic for, an impressive piece of acting.

Hiddleton may have had the upper hand landing this role as he was working at the West End Stage with his future director Kenneth Branagh. It was an interesting choice having a director typically associated with Shakespeare to take on a superhero movie, but maybe considering the source material it wasn't that far off. Branagh takes what he is comfortable with and applies it to his blockbuster; 'Henry V' is about a young prince who goes to war while courting a girl from a different country, sounds a lot like what I was watching the other day.

Branagh was also essential in snagging Natalie Portman who was quoted as saying "I was just like Kenneth Branagh doing 'Thor' is super-weird, I've gotta do it." She, much like Hopkins, didn't add too much to the story except for a name on the poster. Her role was fun, but all she was asked to do was to look sexy-smart and to give her hero the googley eyes. Mission accomplished.

The best part of the Earth portion of the story was Chris Hemsworth. The lead didn't have too much going for him in the opening part of the story. He had his hammer and that was about it. He does his best as a god trying to fit into a mortal world; it is there you see glimpses of charm and charisma which is why he landed the role. Oden was right to banish his son, it definitely made Thor a better person, or at the very least, more interesting.

As a standalone movie it really is nothing but fluff. This is fine for an early summer flick to get us ready for the other blockbusters. It also helps build the anticipation for 'The Avengers.' While some people are getting sick of all the hype already I am not one of them, I mean come on it’s being directed by Joss Weadon. Hopefully the other superheroes of the summer will have a little bit more to say than Thor did. C

Bridesmaids

Kristen Wiig has been a stand out in the Saturday Night Live cast for some time now, and for those of us unwilling to stay up late for a show that is erratic at best we may have been missing out. Her talent has been noticed by Emmy voters recently, but it was in 2007 that Judd Apatow cast her as the snarky E! executive. Since she has grown into quite the starlet and has put all her talents together and teamed up with executive producer Apatow to star and co-write, along with Annie Mumolo, in the new comedy Bridesmaids.

Many may be quick to compare this movie to The Hangover but for women, and that is just not the case. While it is about one gender group before a wedding, The Hangover formula is completely situational and bases itself of making each moment bigger than the one before it. And not to say there aren't some great gross out moments to this movie, the oddly out of place dress shopping scene comes to mind, but that is not what this movie relies on. This would also seem to imply that this is just a movie for women, definitely the impression I had before taking my seat. While the characters may connect more with the womenfolk in the audience the humor sprawls across the genders.

Bridesmaids takes a buddy movie and makes the moments feel genuine. Movies about female friends have typically been about two girlfriends going after the same thing, whether it is a man, a job, or prize. That doesn't appear to be the case in this movie as Maya Rudolph plays the bride to be Lillian, while Wigg plays lifelong best friend Annie. The strain in this case seems to come from the paths each character is taking, while Lily seems to be achieving the American dream, Annie is struggling with life. At one point she had it all: her own business, a boyfriend, but with the economy playing a role she just as quickly lost it. Now she is stuck at a job she hates, living with an odd brother sister tandem and the occasional late night fling with an awfully handsome man played wonderfully by Jon Hamm. Without looking too deeply into the situation this seems to be an examination of class and how success can affect relationships.

Adding to Annie's stress is the new BFF on the scene. Trophy wife Helen, played by the perfectly cast Rose Byrne, is seeking to steal all of Annie's thunder and usurp her as the Maid of Honor. She is the type of girl who probably never got rejected and always made sure she got her way. She is the type of girl that almost everyone in the audience will immediately dislike. If you don't you just may be that girl, and if that's the case, blow it out your ass. Lillian seems to be drifting towards this lifestyle and away from Annie, compounding Annie's frustration.

The scene stealer in this movie is Megan played by Melissa McCarthy who you may recognize from the CBS comedy Mike and Molly. When you are not watching Wigg it is hard to watch anyone but McCarthy. She nails all her one liners and all the physical comedy in the movie and without a doubt generates most of the belly laughs. She outshines the other two bridesmaids played by Wendi McLendon-Covey from Reno 911 and Ellie Kemper from The Office. Wigg allows all these previously mentioned actors to be and lets them affect her until she finally lashes out. It is when she falls furthest that we feel the strongest for her character.

This comedy tells a genuine story of how the success of others can affect you, and takes an honest examination of what competition between two friends can look like when you are not actually competing for the same thing. And having seen the way girlfriends act around each other and when apart, I can gather this may be more accurate than the laughs let on. Wigg is brilliant in this movie and while she does great putting toether strings of jokes that could have any audience laughing for 5 minutes straight, she can also play it a little sweeter and show off a softer side. There have been a lot of people complaining about the newest cast of SNL, which is always the case as whenever you are watching it is inevitable that you will think the previous cast was better. But this recent ensemble has delivered quite a few movie stars and Wigg will surely be the next one to shine. A-