The film opens with a skyscraper robbery, wherein a team of professional thieves (played by Paul Walker, Idris Elba, Hayden Christensen, Michael Ealy and Chris Brown) enjoys the rewards of a successful heist. That is until recently released Ghost (rapper Tip ‘T.I.’ Harris, recently released from prison in real life, too), a former team member of theirs who got caught on a previous job, approaches them with an opportunity to rob an armored truck carrying $20 million.

The catch: they only have five days to prepare and they’re unsure if they can trust Ghost. In addition, a pair of detectives (Matt Dillon and Jay Hernandez) are investigating the skyscraper robbery, hot on their tail.

Despite the risks, the team takes the job, and anyone who’s ever seen a heist film can easily guess where it goes from there, especially anyone who’s seen the crime epic “Heat” and/or “The Italian Job.” The real agenda of “Takers” doesn’t seem to be about the characters stealing money, but about the movie stealing the structure, plot points and characters of these two far superior heist flicks.

Copying off of such great material, you’d think that writers Peter Allen, Gabriel Casseus, Avery Duff and co-writer/director John Luessenhop would at least be able to produce something exciting to make up for the lack of originality. Unfortunately, Luessenhop’s style of jittery, never-ending quick cuts and overuse of shaky-cam keep viewers from becoming engaged in the action, more often just leaving them wondering what’s going on.

Seeing as how the writers struggled to come up with their own story and only created hackneyed, underdeveloped characters, it’d definitely be too much to expect serviceable dialogue. Many conversations either abound with clichés or are just plain annoying. The latter usually involve T.I., who fails to ever make his performance anything beyond irritating and vacuous.

In the sequence where the team ambushes the armored truck, T.I. describes every action the audience is seeing onscreen into his comm radio (“Aw mann, watch out fo’ these guys!”). What a shame, because this is one of the few set pieces that’s moderately cool, but it loses half its entertainment value due to the rapper’s inane running commentary.

But the other musician in the movie, Chris Brown, turns in the biggest surprise. He’s likable and fun to watch, and almost redeems himself for his infamous behavior against Rihanna through a parkour-styled foot chase. Agilely running through the subway, streets and jumping from roofs, this sequence makes for the only legitimately thrilling part of the film, and helps elevate the second half of “Takers” to watchable status, until it starts falling apart at the end.

Few of the other actors leave much of an impression, however. Walker simply plays his “Fast and Furious” character again, and Ealy feels overly serious. Elba, on the other hand, emanates coolness by speaking in his natural cockney accent, taking charge of the robbers, while Christensen drops his Anakin Skywalker whining routine to prove himself a charming presence.

Both of the detectives play their stereotypes well, but Dillon’s done this part several times before and he’s obviously tired of it here. Hernandez performs competently beside him, but fails to make his character stand out. For such a star-studded cast, there was a lot of potential in this genre piece, but Luessenhop fails to take advantage of all the talent on display.

Earlier this summer, “Inception” treated moviegoers to a completely unique and original heist experience. Now, at the end of the season, “Takers” slaps us with the antithesis of that, a humdrum heist flick that can’t even steal its ideas from other movies without screwing them up.

Don’t let this botched robbery take your money.

One and a Half out of Four Stars

Updating the hit ’80s television show and introducing the gang to a new generation, “The A-Team” is only looking more entertaining as its release gets closer. The team consists of four army commandos (Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Sharlto Copley from “District 9″ and Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson as this version’s Mr. T) who escape from prison after being framed, and then fight to clear their names – leading to lots of awesomely over-the-top battles and explosions.

“The Losers” already used this formula to achieve success, and “The A-Team” will similarly be following it, but done bigger, badder and better. Contributing to this is the hilarious rapport the four have with each other and the exhilarating action sequences, which all look elaborate, intense and a ton of fun. Whoever doesn’t want to see this full-throttle, action-packed adventure – I pity the foo’.

June 18 – Toy Story 3

Of all the movies that influenced my childhood, “Toy Story” had the greatest impact. When the first and second movies were re-released in theaters in a 3D double feature back in October, I watched them in blissful glee. Now that the third installment is finally here, after more than a decade since the sequel, I feel like my six-year-old self dressed in a Woody cowboy outfit all over again.

This time around the toys are sent to a young children’s day-care when their owner Andy departs for college. But despite receiving a luxurious new life, they realize their only place is with him, so they set out on an adventure to reunite with Andy.

Even though we’re no longer kids, all Pixar films still manage to capture our hearts with a child-like sense of wonder. And since “Toy Story” is the studio’s most beloved franchise, you can bet this animated sensation will soar to infinity and beyond.

July 2 – The Last Airbender

I can’t say I was ever a fan of the original anime show “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” but this special effects-driven blockbuster looks like one magnificent whirlwind of a summer action epic. The story has something to do with a young boy whose elemental powers are the only thing that can save the world, but it’s not the plot that interests me in this film. I’ll be seeing this for two main reasons: the intense, dazzling fantasy action and to find out if M. Night Shyamalan can still make a worthwhile movie.

The once great director (“The Sixth Sense,” “Signs”) has failed twice in a row with his last two pictures (“The Happening,” anyone?). “The Last Airbender,” besides marking his first piece of adapted material, also denotes his first truly large-scale production, first action movie and most importantly, his last chance to save his career and reputation. If it’s a failure, then he’s officially lost his talent, but if it succeeds then he’s finally made his triumphant return, and I’m putting money on the latter.

July 16 – Inception

“Inception” already holds the title of this summer’s most important movie (in my eyes at least), all because of eight little words: “from Christopher Nolan, director of ‘The Dark Knight.” Nolan unquestionably stands as one of this generation’s most talented filmmakers, from “Memento” to “The Prestige” to the best superhero movie yet, and the fact that he decided to make this film before Batman 3 means it’s obviously something special.

As of now, little is known about the story, but it takes place in a future where advanced technology allows for the construction of a dream world for an individual. In this environment, a single idea can be the most powerful weapon on the planet – so one man aims to steal it. Boasting an exceptional cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ellen Page, this sci-fi thrill ride promises a fascinating, mind-bending phenomenon that’ll be talked about for years to come.

August 6 – The Other Guys

The partnership of director Adam McKay and Will Ferrell has led to several of the funniest, most quotable movies in recent years (“Anchorman,” “Step Brothers”), along with some of Ferrell’s best work. In their newest collaboration, Mark Wahlberg teams up with the clever funnymen in a buddy cop action-comedy that has the potential to become this year’s hit comical adventure. Ferrell and Wahlberg play desk-working detectives who take a chance to turn into action-hero cops, although unsurprisingly, their escapades don’t quite go as planned.

From the trailer alone it’s clear that “The Other Guys” will be rife with McKay’s signature witty dialogue and Ferrell’s outrageous comedic style. As for Wahlberg, he actually works quite well in a humorous setting, so they may just earn the distinction of the most amusing duo since, well, Ferrell and John C. Reilly in McKay’s “Step Brothers.” Rounding things out with some solid action, you can expect this to be a huge success, quoted constantly by the time school rolls around.

This comic book adaptation has bestowed the superhero genre with a wildly violent, darkly hilarious and extremely slick action comedy that ranks as the most outrageously entertaining superhero flick in ages. And in addition to its high level of originality, “Kick-Ass” also boasts possibly the most memorable crime-fighting duo since Batman and Robin.

The movie opens as teenage comic book lover Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) ponders why there are no superheroes in real life. Then, with just the right amount of courage and naïvety built up, he decides to become a costumed hero and proceeds to confront the muggers who always take his money. One unsuccessful attempt and a trip to the emergency room later, his broken bones are now reinforced with metal and his damaged nerve endings grant him the ability to take a beating while experiencing little pain. So Dave resumes his vigilante venture and his superhero persona Kick-Ass gains fame through an Internet video of his exploits, turning his alter-ego into a household name.

People taking notice of this include Frank D’Amico (Mark Strong), a powerful mafioso, and Damon (Nicolas Cage) and Mindy Macready (Chloe Moretz), a bad-ass father-daughter tag team with a vendetta against the crime boss. As the two go around eliminating D’Amico’s crews, costumed as vigilantes Big Daddy and Hit-Girl, the mobster targets Kick-Ass. D’Amico uses his own son Chris (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) to get ahold of him, with Chris assuming the role of new hero Red Mist. Eventually the journeys of Kick-Ass and Big Daddy and Hit-Girl intertwine, leading to a revenge-filled final act that rages with rip-roaring action sequences.

While Dave/Kick-Ass is certainly a strong, likable character played with empathy and humor by Johnson in a breakout role, the real stars of the show here are Big Daddy and Hit-Girl, particularly Moretz as the feisty, foul-mouthed and deadly 11-year-old girl. Many of the film’s funniest lines and moments, like when she saves a helpless Kick-Ass by completely slaughtering his would-be killers, come from this young actress’s swear-laden one-liners and the contrast of her innocent behavior with the fact that she builds up the highest body count. Everyone gets their moments of action, but Hit-Girl’s are always the coolest as she slices and dices through a bloody room of gang members or sharp-shoots a whole group of D’Amico’s cronies in the dark.

As Big Daddy, Cage gives one of those rich, radiating performances of his that’s intentionally comical (a rarity from him nowadays), and very enjoyable due to his odd character nuances, like speaking in a William Shatner impersonation whenever in superhero costume. The dynamic between him and Moretz flows like a true, loving father-daughter relationship, even when, in a wicked piece of dark comedy, Damon shoots his daughter to teach her how a bullet-proof vests feels so he can keep her safe. Big Daddy and Hit-Girl are the two who really kick ass during the film, and as such they are the most memorable and most entertaining aspect of it all, especially through this charming, heartfelt connection they have with each other.

Menacing bad guy character actor Mark Strong delivers another intimidating performance as the vindictive mob boss, working himself up throughout the movie to levels of intense but comic frustration, and playing off Mintz-Plasse quite well. As a character that’s mostly different from his famous McLovin persona, this one still a little nerdy but much more confident and powerful, it’s clear that Mintz-Plasse doesn’t want to be typecast his whole career. Judging from his performance as Chris, he’ll succeed in expanding to other roles, both comedic and partly dramatic.

Director/co-writer Matthew Vaughn (“Stardust,” “Layer Cake”) started developing the film at the same time as the relatively new comic series upon which it’s based, and because of this, the writing seems more strongly focused than some other superhero movies (ahem, “Superman Returns”). However, the tone and pacing of the film feel sort of off; in the first half, “Kick-Ass” is lighter, funnier, and a tad slow, while about halfway through it ratchets up the seriousness, action and pacing while decreasing the humor a bit. This change in tone can be a little off-putting as the movie tries to become more like a conventional superhero story, but after getting past that, viewers care about the characters more and all the thrills in the third act are quite exciting.

Even though Dave is totally outshone by an 11-year-old girl and her father, his story is still quite engaging and relatable, and Johnson makes him a very amusing guy. Vaughn also has a lot to do with this, as he presents the characters in a very straightforward but interesting manner. His visual style borrows a lot from comic panels, and puts a giddy emphasis on cartoony, bloody violence that really stands out. This is made abundantly clear through Hit-Girl’s fighting skills, from her ninja-like acrobatics and blade-wielding to her pinpoint accuracy with guns. A stylized shootout seen from her perspective looks captured from some first-person-shooter video game, and it’s quite cool to watch the killing unfold in this innovative style.

Using some story elements from other superhero origin movies, mixed with witty teenage humor alongside hyper-kinetic action and violence, “Kick-Ass” combines these components into an explosive comic book adaptation that entertains to high effect. Walking the tightrope between an homage and parody of the genre, this cinematic treat provides a send up of superhero films while also bringing its own unique flavor to the table, for a product that easily kicks the ass of anything else currently in theaters.

Three out of Four Stars

The thin narrative starts with foolish humans disrespecting the gods and not offering sacrifices, so Zeus (Liam Neeson) authorizes Hades (Ralph Fiennes) to teach the mortals in the city of Argos a lesson. Hades gives the people 10 days to either sacrifice their beautiful prized princess Andromeda or face obliteration from the unstoppable giant sea creature the Krakken. In response, one of Zeus’s demigod bastard sons, Perseus (Sam Worthington), sets out on a quest to save the city and princess from the fearsome monster by finding a way to kill it and then defeat a weakened Hades, who murdered his adoptive family.

Of course that all sounds like a preposterously impossible task, but “Clash” takes place in the world of fantastical Greek myths, where seemingly anything can happen and realism holds little importance, a detail that improves both the action and atmosphere of the film. So Perseus travels across the land in search of an ultimate weapon, facing many dangers and continually striving to prove his worth as just a man, not part god, all before the Krakken is unleashed.

Compared to the original 1981 “Clash of the Titans,” the story has been greatly altered, dropping the romantic subplot (for the most part), adding Hades into the narrative, involving other new characters and focusing the movie almost entirely on Perseus’s journey. However, many of these changes turn this remake into the superior version. The plot is now even less faithful to the original myth, but the differences do give the tale a bigger and more involving scale, as well as centering the action and development on Perseus. The one downside being that Perseus is childishly stubborn about not using his godly advantage, so there’s extra, unnecessary characterization stemming from that.

But this film satisfies, the main reason boiling down to the thrilling action sequences and the mythological beasts they involve. Director Louis Leterrier was strongly influenced by the original “Clash” and this can be seen in his respect for the source material and its exaggerated mood, as well as his goal to create a remake that stands on its own and fits in this day and age.

The original’s monsters were mostly created through dated stop-motion technology and they seem humorously stupid now; Leterrier has crafted intimidating, predominantly CGI beasts in this version that not only look great but make for fierce creatures in battle as well. Gigantic, unrelentingly vicious scorpions and a spidery, spindly Medusa highlight the action, but the real spectacle is seen with the Krakken at the end, the most breathtakingly awesome movie creature since the monster in “Cloverfield.”

Fighting these beasts, Worthington exudes a veteran action star air with his steely stare, stop-at-nothing persona and slow-building charisma. Straight off from his success in “Terminator: Salvation” and “Avatar” and now as this legendary half-god, half-man badass, he has officially earned his stripes and secured his spot as a leading action juggernaut. While his performance here isn’t as strong as it was in those last two films, he’s sufficient enough and his overly mellow-dramatic or half-hearted acting at points is forgivable. When monster fighting ensues, Worthington is able to quickly raise the audience’s energy and jump right into the struggle, and that’s what really matters in this movie.

Even though the writing and line delivery can be pretty laughable sometimes, the over-serious mood and dialogue acts more as an enhancement of the film’s entertainment value rather than as a detraction—despite sounding like it could’ve been written by awkward dialogue extraordinaire George Lucas. The acting follows a similar pattern but doesn’t really hamper enjoyment because the movie’s monsters, special effects and set pieces stand out so much as to overshadow those flaws.

This is most easily noticed in the scenes of the gods arguing. They’re quite fun to watch, not only due to the gaudy outfits the gods wear, but also the flowing cheesiness of their lines. Zeus dons the shiniest silver set of armor probably ever put to celluloid and bears more glorious facial hair than the Internet phenomenon Epic Beard Man. And when Neeson announces in a booming voice, “Release the Krakken!” you’ll be smiling with giddy delight. Hades, on the other hand, flies around in a cloud of black smoke, with Fiennes rasping out all his lines as if he’s been smoking for forty years straight. While this all feels pretty silly, it’s a clue the film is meant to be taken lightly, and doing so makes it far more amusing.

My only big gripe with the movie where it actually degrades the film is the less than half-assed job in making it 3D. “Clash” was originally shot in 2D, and the decision to add the extra dimension didn’t come until late in post-production, meaning very little of it actually feels like it has the added depth. So little in fact that you’d be better off seeing the 2D version, where not only will you save several bucks, but the colors of the movie will pop out more, since 3D glasses darken everything a couple shades.

“Clash of the Titans” resembles the kind of big-budget action extravaganzas we don’t usually see until the summer, and as such provides the large-scale set pieces, intricate CGI and dumb fun that comes with them, a guilty pleasure not usually granted indulgence until June and July. For that, it feels partially refreshing at this point in time, but mostly just a cool journey from beginning to end.

Three out of Four Stars

But when they take the stage flanked by their two bearded roadies in dark suits and bowler hats, they emerge from the phone booth as a two-piece industrial factory of grinding rock and emotion. And by the end of “The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights,” it’s clear that neither piece could run without the other.

In typical Jack White fashion, “Northern Lights” follows the band on their tour of an area seldom covered by famous rock musicians: the Canadian territories. And the duo doesn’t call it quits after Quebec, instead choosing to make a stop in every single province. Coming from White, whose idea of creative inspiration includes playing old Plexi glass guitars and placing his organ just far enough from his microphone so that he “has to jump across” the stage to get to it, the idea seems just eccentric enough to work.

And it does work beautifully, as Jack and Meg manage to connect with crowd after crowd on a level that would be impossible in an American arena show. The film opens with a group of local bagpipers playing on stage, and instead of playing along with them as the viewer expects, Jack launches into the frenzied notes of “Black Math,” completely cutting them off. Based on the roar of the crowd, nobody was offended at the interruption.

On the contrary, the people at every concert and impromptu jam session played by the Stripes seem overjoyed at their presence. As they pull out of a show to yells of recognition in a tiny town so far north that the sun is still out at 11 p.m., Jack smiles momentarily and curtly remarks, “They’re good people in the Yukon.”

Some of the so-called  “sideshows” played by Jack and Meg over the course of their travels include a rendition of “The Wheels on the Bus” at a YMCA day care and on an actual bus, Jack bowling a strike with his guitar strapped on and plugged in before playing at a bowling alley in Saskatoon and Jack digging his forehead into the wallpaper of a pool hall in Halifax while singing. As Jack puts it, while playing in these smaller towns, “something interesting will always happen.”

But the most powerful of these spontaneous shows is when Jack and Meg arrange a meeting with a group of Inuit elders. Instead of his usual 60’s Montgomery Airline guitar, Jack brings along his acoustic Gretsch Rancher, named “Rita” for a picture of actress Rita Hayworth on the back. As Jack plucks out a blues pattern and sings the lyrics, “These red-headed women won’t let Mr. Jack White rest,” the Inuit octogenarians can’t help but tap their fingers and feet along with Meg’s tambourine. It’s a beautifully ironic sharing of cultures, and one that Jack embraces all the way through being offered a meal of raw caribou and soy sauce.

Even without these cultural aspects of the documentary, “Northern Lights” is worth watching just to witness the stage presence of Jack White. On songs like “Seven Nation Army” and “I’m Slowly Turning Into You,” Meg’s kick drum is the heartbeat that pulses the crowd into a frenzy and Jack is the defibrillator that kicks the energy up several more notches. He bounds and stomps around every stage, alternating between two microphones, slashing out solos on his guitar, pounding on an organ and any combination of the three at once. The chemistry between Jack and Meg is always evident, as Jack’s second microphone is set up right in front of her drum kit, allowing him to stare at her from behind his strands of black hair and insert her name into screaming lyrics like, “You can do anything you want to Meg!”

In fact, the film’s only minor downfall was that at times it tried to be too artsy with shots of random objects in the Canadian landscape instead of focusing on the sonic mushroom cloud that is The White Stripes. While an amazing guitarist, Jack could never match the technical abilities of someone like Eric Clapton, and Meg’s drumming by itself sounds like something a ten-year-old could bang out on a metal pot. But the emotion and drive behind their playing oozes from every song, as if Jack needed to scream into a pillow and found a microphone instead.

To the untrained eye the White Stripes may seem gimmicky with their red, white and black color scheme and mysterious husband and wife/brother and sister relationship, but as they perform across tiny northern towns it’s evident that they’re in it purely to make music together in an unplanned and unbridled fashion. Who cares if Meg is really Jack’s sister or not. Chances are he’d just flash one of his steely smiles and laugh if you asked him.

Clash of the Titans – 4/2

Get ready for some godly grandeur, because this remake updates the Greek myth of Perseus from the cheesy-looking creatures in the 1981 original to extravagant, magnificent CGI monsters. Sure, the story concerns Zeus’s mortal son Perseus (“Avatar” star Sam Worthington) on an epic quest to stop Hades and his minions from gaining control of Earth and the heavens, but it’s really just about delivering some sweet “Lord of the Rings” meets “300″-styled action. Loaded with spectacle and showing in 3D, I am personally psyched for this, and anyone whose Greek mythology fix was left unfulfilled by “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” should be too.

Kick-Ass – 4/16

With a title like “Kick-Ass,” it’s a guarantee that this is going to be one cool flick. A comic book adaption with a humorous and enthusiastically violent take on the superhero story, the film follows a nerdy teenager who decides to become a crime-fighting superhero, eventually joining several others to take down a local mafioso’s empire. His fellow masked vigilantes include Christopher Mintz-Plasse (McLovin’) as a spazzy fighter, and a wild Nicolas Cage as a Batman with firearms alongside his acrobatic, ninja warrior of a young daughter. A breath of fresh air in the superhero genre, “Kick-Ass” is sure to be the most purely entertaining, riotous blend of action and comedy in the coming months.

The Losers – 4/23

At first glance, the title of this action caper may seem like a reflection on the movie. Another adaptation from a comic book series that you’ve probably hereunto never heard of, “The Losers” follows a black ops team that, after being betrayed and left for dead by their employer, survive and go on the hunt to take vengeance on those responsible. So far it looks like little more than “RocknRolla” meets “Smokin’ Aces,” but with a game cast including Jeffrey Dean Morgan (“Watchmen”) and Zoe Saldana (“Star Trek”), this may just be the piece of somewhat derivative thrills that adds enough originality to prove perfect popcorn entertainment. Here’s hoping this one’s a winner.

A Nightmare on Elm Street – 4/30

Hollywood loves horror remakes, and with a gratifying reimagining of “Friday the 13th” last year, it’s only fitting that Freddy Krueger receives the same sort of treatment Jason Vorhees was given. However, this remake is luckily set apart from others in the slasher genre by the fascinating, ultra-creepy actor playing the classic killer — Jackie Earle Haley (Rorschach from “Watchmen”). The original helped to revitalize horror in the ’80s with its unique killer, who stalks and murders his victims in their dreams. With Haley as Freddy, this could quite likely be the best and scariest entry in the series since the first one. Just don’t expect to sleep very well afterwards.

I Love You Philip Morris – 4/30

Oh how I’ve missed Jim Carrey’s daring side. His last couple of movies have been very tame fare, and his most recent foray into more sophisticated territory, “The Number 23,” didn’t turn out so well. But with “I Love You Philip Morris,” a dark comedy written and directed by the writers of the uproariously mean “Bad Santa,” he returns to higher-brow work. Here it’s as an eccentric gay con man who, after being caught and sent to prison, falls in love with fellow inmate Philip Morris (Ewan McGregor), then does everything possible to get Phillip and himself out and back to conning. This true story isn’t mainstream comedy, but I’m betting it’ll be one of the year’s critics’ darlings.

Iron Man 2 – 5/7

Look out, here comes Marvel’s new moneymaker. Robert Downey Jr. returns to the role that revived his career, as billionaire Tony Stark/superhero Iron Man, in this highly anticipated sequel that I’m positive will surpass the first one with more wit, more action and a much more intimidating bad guy. This time around Iron Man faces new foes (chiefly Mickey Rourke as a deliciously sinister Russian supervillian) and teams with new friends (Don Cheadle as War Machine, in a metal combat suit similar to Iron Man) in the blockbuster blast of the season. It’s assured to smash the box office even more successfully than the first film, and is the safest bet on this list for any moviegoer.

Robin Hood – 5/14

No, this isn’t a sequel to “Gladiator,” but it is Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott’s fifth collaboration together, and certainly looks like said masterpiece meets the epic “Braveheart.” This time Crowe plays legendary hero Robin Hood as he transforms from a regular soldier into the prince of thieves in this new, much more thrilling and doubtlessly more intense telling of the classic tale. Glorious medieval battles, breathtaking backdrops and absolutely stunning slow-mo sequences await. Scott is one of the industry’s most talented directors, and with Crowe as the bad-ass archer, this will provide one hell of a ride, most likely even besting Scott’s last medieval effort, “Kingdom of Heaven.”

MacGruber – 5/21

Was anyone really asking for a film based off the recurring SNL skits that parody “MacGyver?” I sure wasn’t, but alongside Will Forte and Kristen Wiig from the sketches, Val Kilmer and Ryan Phillippe round out the cast, and give this explosive comedy a surprising chance at actually being worth seeing. Vastly expanding from the plotless skits, in the movie the clueless ex-operative MacGruber returns to duty, working to stop his nemesis from blowing up Washington, D.C. with a nuclear warhead. Obviously the jokes aren’t going to be very intelligent, but even so, “MacGruber” looks like a lot of dumb fun and very well may be the best SNL film since “Wayne’s World.”

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time – 5/28

Is Jake Gyllenhaal the next Johhny Depp? The usually serious actor takes an exciting, Jack Sparrow-like role in this large-scale, special effects-laden video game adaptation, which is becoming Disney’s fantasy action-adventure successor to the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series. Gyllenhaal plays a prince in medieval Persia who, after discovering a dagger that can control time, must take it back to its resting place before its power can be unleashed to destroy the world. The game was quite engaging and unique in its day, and the movie not only looks much more awesome than it, but is expected to be one of the virtually non-existent good film versions of a video game.

Set aside the gangster stories and the New York character dramas of the Martin Scorsese you know, because “Shutter Island” showcases the master filmmaker in a fresh mind-bender mode he’s never been in before. He directs an elaborate, ever-deepening search for the truth through an atmospheric maze of deception and the unexpected, all leading up to a shocking, must-see twist climax that serves as a more than satisfying payoff to the crazy, gripping two hour journey preceding it.

Investigating this 1954-set labyrinth of secrets are U.S. Marshals Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his newly-assigned partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), called to Shutter Island’s Ashcliffe Asylum to find a patient who’s escaped from the mental hospital for the criminally insane. But immediately upon arrival, the marshals encounter a lack of cooperation from the staff, particularly from head psychiatrist Dr. Cawley (Ben Kingsley), who seems to be covering up something sinister going on at the asylum.

As Teddy spends more time at the mental hospital and delves deeper into the case, he has recurring, extremely eerie flashbacks and dreams. These include messages from his dead wife and memories of his horrifying WWII experiences in the liberation of the Dachau death camp. Both slowly take a toll on his mental stability as he learns that something is definitely afoot at Ashcliffe, and the more he uncovers, the more he realizes that he must unlock the secrets of Shutter Island before it drives him as mad as the patients.

With a myriad of plot turns and surprises, the story is expertly plotted and thought-out (even if it does get a tad confusing at times), and the movie consistently continues to gain depth as it advances. Viewers are kept guessing all the way up to the extended, jaw-dropping explanation, which rightfully earns a spot on the list of the best movie twists ever.

Throughout the film, veiled hints are dropped about the end secrets (like in any good psychological thriller), and some plot points don’t quite add up or completely fit until the final revelation. Yet without a skilled director handling the multi-layered material, the story could have easily fallen apart, and the ending could’ve ruined the entire movie. But Scorsese proves yet again why he deserves to be known as America’s greatest living director, crafting suspense that would make Alfred Hitchcock proud and building an ending so delicately shaped that twist-master M. Night Shyamalan himself could learn a lot from it. And in keeping with most brain-spinners, “Shutter Island” highly benefits from a second viewing, growing even finer with knowledge of the big reveal.

Scorsese also really impresses with the dream and flashback sequences, always full of rich cinematography, creepy, haunting imagery and spine-tingling thrills. From the first one of them, it’s clear that they’ll completely submerge viewers into Teddy’s world and at the same time mess with their heads, from trapping them in a burning room to perturbing them with sights of war atrocities, sometimes even evoking chills similar to “The Shining.”

For a director with so many superb films, this one shows a new side of Scorsese, but comes up a little shy of ranking among his very best. He’ll often start to amass lots of suspense in a scene (the somewhat jarring but sufficient score helping to increase it), and then he hits a dialogue-driven segment where he loses momentum, still keeping interest but slowing down the pace and thus requiring him to pick up the pieces to rebuild the tension.

What’s completely devoid of fault however is the acting. DiCaprio supremely immerses himself into his role, and after only the opening sequence I began thinking of him more as U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels rather than as actor Leonardo DiCaprio, a true feat for a big star. Viewers invest just as much as Teddy in his journey, and feel right there with him all the way up through the emotional finale, where DiCaprio pulls the audience head first into his intense situation. Long gone are his days as the kid from “Titanic” — in the coming years he’ll be thought of as this generation’s Dustin Hoffman or Robert De Niro. In fact, he’s already replaced De Niro as Scorsese’s muse, this being their fourth movie together, and will no doubt win an Oscar very soon.

Backing up DiCaprio with additionally engrossing performances are Ruffalo, at this point a veteran in the detective role, and Kingsley (always a joy to watch) as the devilishly sly bad guy. Michelle Williams as Teddy’s deceased, otherworldly entrancing spouse and Max von Sydow, with a threatening German accent as the other head doctor (still at the top of his game at the age of 80) similarly enhance the film’s level of captivation. There are also a number of actors that appear in only a scene or two who leave quite a lasting impression, chief among these Jackie Earle Haley (Rorschach from “Watchmen”) as a wonderfully slimy rat of a patient in one of the most memorable scenes of the movie.

Leo and Marty have scored another hit in this brilliantly shot mystery island, one of the best full-out psychological thrillers of the past several years. From the dangerous, high-up cliffs to the confining madness of the patient wards, viewers are glued to their seats for the whole ride. Understanding doesn’t come until the last 20 minutes, but once it does, the mind is shattered in “Shutter Island.”

Three and a Half out of Four Stars

John Travolta becomes an action star in this dumb fun spy shooter

Now this is more like the John Travolta I know and love.

If it weren’t for him, “From Paris with Love” would just be another formulaic, secret agent shoot-em-up with some decent action sequences but little to make it stand out. However, with the benefit of Travolta’s rowdy, gleefully over-the-top and undeniably charismatic performance, “From Paris” makes for a fun, amusing 90 minute escape from reality. And for those needing a brainless, bullet-fueled break from all the solemnity of the Oscar season’s prestige pictures, it’s especially welcomed.

The typical “newbie/expert team-up” story begins with James Reece (Jonathan Rhys Myers), a wannabe James Bond working at the U.S. Embassy in Paris. While he’s given small tasks here and there, like switching car license plates and planting a bug in a government official’s office, he’s yet to reach the big leagues, and hopes to attain the rank of a real field agent.

Then the night he gets engaged, Reece receives the call that can at last earn him that promotion. Finally being given his shot, Reece is partnered with Charlie Wax (Travolta, completely bald), the agency’s top operative. Wax is an all-guns-blazing, makes-his-own-rules loose canon, and he and Reece set out on a convoluted mission that starts with eliminating a Chinese cocaine cartel and transforms into stopping a terrorist bomb plot.

“From Paris” starts off slowly, but once Wax is introduced a little over 10 minutes in, the film quickly becomes entertaining, from Wax’s witty one-liners and lack of subtlety in dealing with the bad guys to his ever-growing body count. The crass, chrome-domed and wise-cracking badass single-handedly takes out (with ease) the entire uzi-wielding kitchen staff of a drug-running Chinese restaurant, then stylishly dispatches a gang of unfortunate thugs in the street, and continues as he shoots several waves of lackeys in a warehouse ripe for destruction. And that’s all within the first half.

While the action is pretty cool by itself, Travolta makes it a lot more worthwhile with the wild pizazz he brings to his role. From the unfunny “Wild Hogs” and the mediocre “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3,” to the atrocious failure “Old Dogs,” he hasn’t had much luck lately so it’s nice to see him back in his element, obviously delighting in the outrageous, unhinged behavior of Wax. He played a similar character in “Pelham,” and his overacting and foul-mouth there were mostly annoying, whereas here he’s fine-tuned that style and injected a healthy dose of humor into his character (the funniest gag coming from a royally cheesy self-reference to “Pulp Fiction”). All of this combines to make Travolta the highlight of the movie, who’s at his best in awhile.

On the other hand, Rhys Meyers feels a bit out of place, at least initially. The chemistry between him and Travolta isn’t always there, and Rhys Meyers’s accent varies a bit from time to time, but since he creates a likable, good-hearted lead, he stays consistently enjoyable to watch. Reece’s contrast as a fledgling agent always wanting to play it safe and by the book to Wax’s uncontrollable killing machine provides some laughs, but after awhile Reece becomes handy with a gun too, and Rhys Meyers grows into his role more fittingly as the stakes are raised.

Director Pierre Morel’s last effort, the revenge action-thriller “Taken,” had a sense of urgency, realism and a desire for vengeance to be served, which all fueled the engrossing, fast-paced plot. In comparison, “From Paris” is much less purposeful, swift and intense. The story is predominantly mindless, mostly just an excuse for Travolta to kill a bunch of bad dudes with a lot of showy gunplay – which, depending on how you look at it, isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Anyone wanting a clever, well-written spy game should look elsewhere, as “From Paris” is quite conventional. The cliches abound in the “veteran/trainee” structure of the two leads and in the numerous ways Wax is always saving Reece’s butt. And save for an unexpected twist at the beginning of the third act, the rest of the movie is quite predictable.

But Morel realizes that he’s working with lighter fare this time around, so he makes sure the film doesn’t take itself very seriously. Instead he focuses on the style, action and humor, and in that regard he succeeds fairly well. The second half of the film is where the bodies really start piling up, and at one point in a heavy shoot-out, Wax descends to the floor below him by sliding down a pole, upside-down, while simultaneously firing his pistol and taking out everyone in the room. Realistic? No. Awesome? Hell yes.

For a late winter, little-hyped R-rated action pic, “From Paris with Love” fits the bill as expected. It’s not really any deeper than guns, explosions and a cool guy shooting lots of baddies, but if you’re ready to turn off your brain for an hour and a half and watch Travolta at his unrestrained prime, then this is a trip worth taking.

Two and a Half out of Four Stars

Jeff Bridges gives his best performance yet as country musician Bad Blake

If “Avatar” proved one thing, it’s that a film doesn’t need an original plot to be terrific – if something else can make up for the copied story. But in the familiar tale of a faded star dependent on alcohol, searching for redemption through a good woman, overcoming those conventional origins calls for something more heartfelt than blue aliens. The necessary tool for that challenge is the original special effect: a wholehearted, captivating performance from a truly talented actor. Last year this happened with Mickey Rourke in the masterpiece “The Wrestler,” and this year it occurs with Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart.”

Bridges portrays 57-year-old country music singer Bad Blake, a former big-time artist now so far diminished in his career that he’s relegated to driving himself state to state in his beat-up, 30-year-old truck, playing in bowling alleys and bars for barely enough money to get by. With nothing but his guitar and a bottle of McClure’s whiskey by his side, the four-times-married Blake has no one left for him except some aging fans at his small out-of-the-way gigs. But he makes it a point that even if he’s drunk, he’ll never miss a show.

After playing at one of the bars, he meets reporter Jean Craddock (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a lonely, single mom in her 30s who automatically connects with Bad after interviewing him. A romance soon blossoms between the two, and Jean breathes new life into the almost completely burnt-out musician. This leads to Bad collaborating a bit with his former protégé Tommy Sweet (Colin Farrell), who has become the biggest sensation in country music due to Blake’s tutelage, even though Bad was left in the dust after Tommy’s rise. Despite that, Bad now tries to establish a modest life with Jean and her unbelievably adorable four-year-old son Buddy, in hopes of avoiding the pitfalls of his continuous drinking and finally attaining a true loved one to hold on to in his life.

Admittedly, there’s not a whole lot of story driving this movie, because it’s the characters and the outstanding performances that carry it. Viewers watch intently as Bad struggles with his career, his relationships, his alcoholism and with putting his life back on track. Bridges elevates the film above other such movies however, expertly shaping the wasting-away musician into a flawed, but redeemable man whom we honestly care for and want to see ultimately triumph, mostly because of his excellent acting.

Having received four Oscar nominations over the years, it seems like Bridges will finally win one this time around, as he single-handedly turns “Crazy Heart” from a pretty good film into a great one, and rightfully deserves the award. Bad Blake feels like a mixture of Bridges’s The Dude from “The Big Lebowski,” Rourke’s Randy ‘The Ram’ from “The Wrestler,” and country legend Johnny Cash in his later years, all blended up into a gravely, weary-voiced Bridges who’s half charmer and half washed-up drunk.

Endeared by the heart of Bad ol’ Mr. Bridges is Gyllenhaal, who I’ve always had a strange affinity for even though she was the only actor hampering “The Dark Knight.” Here, she impresses and performs with more genuine emotion than usually seen in her roles. She’s a very sweet woman, especially in her tender conversations with Bad and the loving, playful moments with her little boy. Her chemistry with Bridges feels so real that we never have a hard time believing their relationship.

Filling the role of sympathetic bartender quite sufficiently is Robert Duvall, who gives off a warm supporting performance as one of Bad’s closest friends. But it’s Farrell who’s a pleasant surprise, proving that he finally seems to be consistently living up to his potential as a very skilled actor. Advancing from just playing a memorable character every once in awhile, he’s had several praise-worthy roles recently, which all show he’s finally coming into his own. And who knew, he’s a fine singer as well.

Bad’s music plays an important part in the film, and there are plenty of scenes where he’s performing his wonderful songs. But these aren’t the type of country tunes usually heard today – this is the “old style” of country in the vein of Johnny Cash and Hank Williams. I actually enjoy that type of music a lot, and fans of the genre will love the original songs written by T-Bone Burnett (who also composed the music for the similarly-styled “Walk the Line”). At the very least, the songs can be appreciated for the sentimental lyrics and sound paralleling Bad’s journey, and for Bridges’ distinctly rich voice. The music is so strong that I’m seriously considering getting the soundtrack – the main track “The Weary Kind” is even the top contender for best original song at the Oscars.

With the superb main performance and terrific music being the highlights of “Crazy Heart,” first-time director Scoot Cooper wisely chose to let his competent script play out in a naturalistic, calm manner, with a surprising turn of events in the third act that adds more engrossing poignancy. A defeated Bridges wrenches viewers’ emotions in this section, and Cooper keeps us constantly engaged through his minimalistic approach and lack of flashy style, focusing centrally on Bad and his bittersweet journey. With Bridges’s soon-to-be Academy Award-winning achievement as Bad Blake pushing forward the film, it’s easy to overlook its recycled plot.

Whether you’re just a fan of Bridges, movies about musicians, stirring character studies or any role an actor really puts his heart into, this is a performance to go crazy over.

Three out of Four Stars