Nerd in the 'Noke

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011), PG-13, 137 minutes - From what I have read online, the creators of the latest Pirates installment wanted 'dumb' down the plot. That isn't meant in a bad way, there was just so much going on in the second and third films (who was two timing who) it really took away some of the fun. This time around they were definitely successful in providing a plot that isn't so convoluted, but it dragged on a bit. On Stranger Tides marks the first film in the franchise that isn't directed by Gore Verbinski. Instead Rob Marshall (Memoirs of a Geisha, Chicago) was at the helm. Of course Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow returns. After all, there wouldn't be a Pirates of the Caribbean franchise if not for him. The rest of the cast is comprised of a nice mixture of familiar faces (Geoffrey Rush, and Kevin McNally) and new characters (Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane). The story does include a little two timing - or ...

Fast Five (2011), PG-13, 130 minutes - The fifth installment in the Fast and the Furious franchise has been out for a couple weeks now and seeing as though I was talked into checking it out in the theater by multiple friends who had already seen it, I'm going to keep this short because quite honestly, I think I'm about the last person to see it amongst the folks that tune in to this blog. Fast Five takes a page from the Ocean's movies. It really is a heist flick that happens to have a couple car related scenes in it. The commercials tout it as having many chase sequences, but there's really only one at the climax of the film. This isn't necessarily a bad thing though as the banter between members of the crew while planning the heist is really what carries the movie. Stars from the first four movies come back to pull off a heist to retire off of. All while jumping to the top of America's Most Wanted list (mostly for crimes they didn't actually com...

Thor (2011), PG-13, 114 minutes - May is upon us and with it the release of the first wave of big summer blockbuster releases, and with that renewed enthusiasm for someone such as myself to share my opinions with the masses (otherwise known as the five people who regularly check in). This marks a nice 'return to form' so to speak as I've been tied up watching more NBA and NHL playoff games than movies over the past few weeks. Thor has been one of the films that I've been most anticipating for quite a while now and I am pleased to report that it did not disappoint. Kenneth Branagh succeeded in bringing the magical/mythical side of the Marvel Universe to the big screen with the help of a well selected cast that ranges from Oscar winners (Anthony Hopkins as Odin and Natalie Portman as Jane Foster), to relative new comers (Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Tom Hiddleston as Loki). Thor is the God of Thunder and resides in the realm of Asgard (one of nine realms connected ...