They're he-ere

Wolverine arrives in theaters tomorrow – 4099 theaters – and the summer blockbuster season officially begins. The first weekend in May has been good to comic book superheroes, with Spiderman, Iron Man, and the X-Men all bringing in big crowds; the Wolverine people will be hoping for at least that kind of success, if only because if they don’t hit it big everyone will compare their box office to Spiderman, Iron Man, and the X-Men. Unfortunately, the outlook is a little bit bleak: early reviews of the picture are mixed, mostly complaining that the film doesn’t have much to say, just a bunch of slam bam nonsense. But c’mon, this is a comic book movie. What’s it supposed to say? And anyway, Hugh Jackman stars and he’s been working out. So I figure, grab some popcorn, get a nice stadium seat, and spend a couple hours in the dark, forgetting about the economy and torture and pandemics and that big fight Brad and Angie keep having. If you aren’t into special effects but you still want to see a mindless, mediocre movie, Ghosts of Girlfriends past also opens on Friday, with Matthew McConaughey playing an irascible playboy who learns his lesson when three ghosts visit him. Yup, somebody stole that plotline again, and it’s not even December. This one is a romantic comedy and McConaughey is usually fun to watch; Jennifer Garner also stars and from a distance, anyway, seems miscast. Playing in many theaters. If you are looking for something a little more adult, The Soloist and State of Play are holding steady at the multiplex; you could also look for Adventureland and Sunshine Cleaning, both very entertaining but in limited release. Next week: Star Trek.

Before the deluge...

Three major releases this weekend: The Soloist, Fighting and Obsessed. The Soloist is based on a true story about an LA Times columnist who befriends a brilliant schizophrenic musician living on Skid Row. Robert Downey Jr. plays the columnist, Jamie Foxx plays the musician, but apparently that isn’t enough: early reviews have been mixed, and the film was bounced around the release schedule which almost always means the studio suspects a dud. However, if you love these actors The Soloist is worth a shot, as every critic has praised their performances. And it is a remarkable story. Obsessed is the Beyoncé Fatal Attraction style thriller, and there have been no sneaks or early critic screenings which makes it hard to assess, except to say you should be cautious about films that have no sneaks or early critic screenings. Finally, Fighting, surprisingly, is getting good early buzz, even though the trailer looks plain silly. Channing Tatum (Stop-Loss, Guide to Recognizing Your Saints) stars as Shawn MacArthur, a newcomer to New York who falls under the influence of con artist Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard) and becomes a street fighter, brawling for audiences of wealthy gamblers. Critics say that the story is predictable but well told, and the characters are intriguing. Rated PG-13; the fight scenes are intense but not over the top. 17 Again and State of Play, last week's box office champs, are holding on to lots of theaters, but if you're looking for something a little more small scale, consider Sunshine Cleaning, starring Any Adams as a young woman trying to make a go of a crime scene clean up business; or Adventureland, about a new college grad who is forced to work in a tacky amusement park when his family finances give out. And hold on to your popcorn: blockbuster season kicks off next weekend with Wolverine.

State of Play

Entertaining political thriller. Russell Crowe plays Cal McCaffrey, a scruffy investigative journalist whose dogged pursuit of a story leads him to uncover dangerous and difficult truths about an old friend, Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck). McCaffrey works for the Washington Globe (read Post) a newspaper on the edge of extinction; he is under pressure by editor Cameron Lynne (Helen Mirren) to produce stories that will sell papers. But he’s a purist: he follows the leads, he looks for the truth, and he reports news, not dirt. When it comes to light that the Congressman Collins story includes a sex scandal, Lynne hooks him up with Della Frye (Rachel McAdams) a young up-and-comer who writes a blog for the Globe’s electronic edition. The two grudgingly go to work together, each suspicious of the other’s role at the paper, but each needing the other anyway; a new take on the old buddy formula.

And no, Cal and Della don’t fall in love or into bed; spoiler alert, I suppose. But what’s good about this film is that it avoids the clichéd traps typical of mass market thrillers, good and evil are a little blurry here, everybody has a weakness. Unfortunately, this is also the film’s failing, because it weaves an elaborate, dangerous web of intrigue and conspiracy, and then somehow drops the thread, leaving us with an odd and unsatisfying conclusion. But it’s a fun ride, and the acting is top notch: any scene with Russell Crowe and Helen Mirren is a kick, and late in the story Justin Bateman turns up and steals the show. Even if you can’t stand this movie, you should stick around for that. Not a box office knockout, but doing decent business around the country; it will probably be harder to find this weekend when Wolverine hits the screen.

April 17

This weekend brings the opening of State of Play, a thriller starring Russell Crowe and Rachel McAdams as relentless journalists trying to find the truth in the dark underbelly of Washington. Depending on the critic, this film is either darn good or a colossal bore, with most leaning towards good; overall reviews are above average. Ironically, Crank gets the same reception with a much different (no Oscar winners here) pedigree: this slam bang over the top action picture will either thrill or disgust you, depending on whether or not you are a teenage boy. Zac Ephron’s new picture 17 Again hits the multiplexes this weekend, and if you need to ask who that is well, don’t see this film.