Although the calendar says it's the last weekend in March, it sure feels like summer at the movie houses across the land. Between the arrival of the blockbuster sequel G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Stephenie Meyer's follow-up to her Twilight Saga, Tyler Perry's latest drama hitting theaters and Bradley Cooper sharing the screen with Ryan Gosling -- it's getting hot out there!
We look at all three releases and help you decide which to take in this weekend.
G.I. Joe: Retaliation: Dwayne Johnson joins Channing Tatum in the sequel to G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra. Whereas that film disappointed, our G.I. Joe: Retaliation review found this second film in the series downright fun. Johnson seems to rock everything he does, and this latest action fest is no different. The story is more compelling than the first go-around and the action is tight and thrilling. Director Jon Chu takes his dance movie background and brings a ballet of violence that is sure to thrill longtime G.I. Joe fans.
The Host: Meyer wrote The Host in between putting out her third and fourth Twilight books, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. It is certainly a challenging movie to bring to the big screen to say the least. Since most of the action takes place inside the head of the protagonist, moving from the page to the screen could not have been an easy effort. As our The Host review states, the movie suffers for that very reason. It's not from a lack of pedigree with Gattaca director Andrew Niccol and Hanna star Saoirse Ronan doing their best.
Tyler Perry's Temptation: Perry delves into a darker area than we're used to with his latest. Temptation follows what happens to the wife in a perceived to be happy couple who finds her self "tempted" to stray. Unfortunately, as we normally appreciate Perry's work, this one is a swing and a miss. Our Temptation review delves further, but overall, the film has too many plot holes, diversions and useless banter between Kim Kardashian and the film's lead (yes, Kardashian is in the movie). Maybe next time, Tyler.
The Place Beyond the Pines: Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper serve as story bookends for this film from the writer-director of Blue Valentine. The flick is only opening in New York and Los Angeles this weekend, before premiering everywhere April 12. This is one of those movies that Movie Fanatic cannot recommend enough, as we state in our The Place Beyond the Pines review. It is powerful, moving and all-outstanding.
