The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Although I like Nicholas Cage, this is a movie I had absolutely no intention of seeing. But sometimes situations arise that one must take advantage of. Such was the case here when I had the chance to go to a movie with my niece and nephews. If you've seen the trailer you have a good idea of what this one is about. Cage plays a centuries-old sorcerer in search of an apprentice (known as the Prime Merlinian) capable of defeating the evil sorceress Morgana. The apprentice he finds is a NYU physics nerd played by Jay Baruchel. Together they must stop Morgana from reanimating the world's long-dead evil sorcerers, thus saving the world. With a premise like that, the script pretty much writes itself with all the expected Bruckheimer set pieces one would expect from a summer movie. This is one of those movies that just washes over you without engaging your brain. In fact, it's best not to apply any sort of logic or rational thought into this one. Just let it unfold in front of you, preferably while laying on a couch when the remote control is just out of reach. However, I did appreciate one aspect of this movie. It tries to apply science to the world of magic, but not in a disappointing midi-chlorian sort of way. Ultimately, the physics nerd makes a great sorcerer because of his understanding of science. While I'm not confident this movie will inspire anyone to pick-up a science textbook, I thought basing the magic in real-world physics was a nice touch.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Twilight clearly isn't my thing. But I can certainly understand the appeal, especially to tweens, their mothers, and every other female on the planet. This is pure soap opera drama with a supernatural element. After all, what girl (or disillusioned soccer mom) wouldn't want to have a pasty vampire and hunky werewolf fight over them? Eclipse offers more of the same as the Edward/Jacob rivalry intensifies. But at some point the boys must work together to protect Bella from a vengeful Victoria and her army of newly turned vampires. But this epic alliance between the (good) vampires and werewolves takes a backseat to more creaky dialogue, something that has become a series staple. Though I admit, there are far fewer cringe-inducing lines here than in New Moon. But then there's the tent scene which is just so shamelessly contrived that even the actors seem to have a hard time keeping a straight face. Having never read the books I can't say what twists and turns await us in Breaking Dawn, the saga's final chapter. Bella's future seems decided by the end of this film given her impending nuptials with Edward. But I do know that Breaking Dawn is largely hated by the fan base, so perhaps there is still hope for this franchise?

Toy Story 3

This is just about as good as movies get. Given the series long hiatus, I was a bit nervous about how this one would turn out. But the story does a great job accounting for the passage of time and reacquainting the audience with the key characters. Andy has grown up and is preparing for college. As a result his toys face an uncertain future during the universal sorting process we all go through at some point. Will Woody, Buzz and the others be kept, donated, or just trashed? But that's just the earliest dilemma. Like the previous films, the toys find themselves on an epic adventure outside the safe confines of Andy's bedroom. Along the way they meet several new characters and face numerous challenges. Of course, there's plenty of humor and action. But Toy Story 3 also hits a strong emotional chord, not unlike WALL-E and Up. This is where Pixar shows they're light years ahead of the competition, and not just in the field of animated films. They haven't made a movie for kids that grown-ups can merely tolerate. This is good old-fashioned entertainment for everyone, something reflected by the diverse audience in attendance on a Saturday afternoon. And judging by the tearful moments and applause at the end, this is a movie that everyone loved, myself included.

Splice

Wow. This is one messed up movie. But in a good way. Judging by the underwhelming trailers this looked like an average Alien-style horror flick. But it's something else entirely. It's incredibly smart and fearless. Although Splice could be classified as a sci-fi movie, it doesn't feature distant technology like flying cars or spaceships. The science behind the story is very real and contemporary. Perhaps that's one reason I found the film so unsettling. What you have here is a modern take on Frankenstein with all the familiar science vs. ethics themes. But what happens when you throw complex emotions into the equation? Sarah Polley and Adrien Brody play a couple who have attained rock star status in the field of genetics. Specifically, they've become famous for splicing genetic material from multiple organisms to create new lifeforms. But things get a bit out of control in their next experiment when they recklessly create a human-animal hybrid. This is where the film could have gone straight into paint-by-numbers territory. Instead, it takes several unexpected turns as the scientists become emotionally invested in their creation. It's very challenging material, and at times, difficult to watch with more than a handful of cringe-inducing moments. But it's a film with heart and a brain which is a lot more than you're likely to find in the cineplexes this summer.

Iron Man 2

Growing up, I never was a huge fan of Iron Man. Tony Stark was just too much of an arrogant jerk. He didn't fit the humble superhero mold. But that's exactly why these movies work and it wouldn't be possible without Robert Downey Jr. This is quite simply the best casting in any superhero movie ever, and the fun continues in the latest installment. At the start of Iron Man 2, Stark's ego is on an all-time high now that the world knows he's Iron Man. But of course, there's plenty of people who aren't thrilled by Stark's sudden boost in popularity. Thus, conflict arises on multiple fronts. To make matters worse, Stark realizes that the suit's power unit is slowly killing him. Solutions to Stark's problems aren't apparent until Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and his S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives become involved. Geeks know that Fury has set the stage of something much larger, as evident by the discussion of the "Avenger Initiative." Be sure to stay around after the closing credits for an even larger hint at what the future holds for the Marvel Universe. But let's face it. Captain America and Thor have their work cut out for them. If the filmmakers stay true to the source material, these will be much different movies. So when it's finally time for The Avengers to unite, it will be a very interesting collaboration to say the least. Has the bar been set too high? Only time will tell.

Clash of the Titans

While I have fond memories of the original Clash of the Titans, it's not exactly a flawless masterpiece. That was readily apparent when I watched it a week ago. But it's still a fun movie with some very cool action sequences, despite the dated special effects and occasional cheese. So in my mind, a remake wasn't such an awful idea. For the most part, the core elements of the original story remain intact. We still get the scenes with the Stygian witches, Medusa, and the showdown with the Kraken at the end. But there are some alterations which are likely to draw the ire of many a fanboy. Zeus (Liam Neeson) and Hades (Ralph Fiennes) have much more screen time while Andromeda is practically kicked to the background. Then there's the new Perseus, played by Sam Worthington of Avatar fame. This Perseus is a fisherman turned badass warrior, motivated purely by revenge. It seems he could care less about Andromeda or the unsympathetic people of Argos; for him, killing the Kraken is a means to an end. These tweaks to the characters don't necessarily alter the story for the worse. In fact, I rather enjoyed the change-up. Still, the script is far from perfect. The pacing is a bit slow and tedious at the start, but the film eventually finds its stride in the final act. And as for the special effects? Sure, they're flashy but no more believable than the Ray Harryhausen creations from 29 years ago. Perhaps this will improve by the time this film gets remade?

Shutter Island

As a voracious life-long student of cinema, Martin Scorsese is easily one of the most knowledgeable filmmakers to have ever worked in the medium. Unlike some directors, he doesn't just throw images up on the screen and hopes it works out. Crafting effective sequences is more of a science than an art, and he knows exactly how to manipulate the ingredients to produce the desired outcome. Shutter Island is a good example of the master in his lab, tinkering with tried and proven potions to creep out and misdirect the audience. What starts out as a simple missing persons mystery slowly evolves into something else entirely. Clues are expertly dispensed throughout, hinting at, but never quite revealing the truth. For example, there's one blink-and-you'll-miss-it continuity error at the beginning of the film that makes more sense once the film is over. But as thorough as the final explanation is, the ending is somewhat open to interpretation. Exactly what does the last shot mean? Is it as straight-forward as it seems? While the story is compelling, it's the atmosphere that really stuck with me. Everything from the setting, to the music, to the trippy dream sequences all lend themselves to the eerie tone, which is maintained throughout. Like Memento, this is one you'll want to see a second time. But even then, I'm not sure I'll be able to put together the entire puzzle.