You’d think that, in the five years since Revolutions, the Wachowskis might have learned some valuable lessons; but sadly, their adaptation of the popular cartoon—excuse me, anime —series Speed Racer ends up lost in its own sensory-overload and indulgence. It takes three paragraphs to explain a plot that is really not important to the film and simply exists as a device to showcase bright, colorful, and fast computer effects created by the same team that developed the groundbreaking techniques showcased in The Matrix. Unfortunately, Speed Racer never gives the audience much opportunity to enjoy the visual effects. Still, the (presumably targeted) younger audience might make it a surprise hit.

If Iron Man is any indication of what we can expect this summer, I think we’re in for a great time. In this film at least, Hollywood returns to a simpler, unambiguous adventure story—and I for one greatly appreciate it. Real life is complex enough; I go to the movies to escape for a while, and this is the kind of film that works for me. If the thunderous cheering as the credits rolled were any indication, the rest of the audience agreed. My recommendation? Stop reading this review, buy your tickets, grab your popcorn, and then sit back and enjoy one of the most entertaining superhero movies you’ve likely seen. I plan to do that again myself.

The Life Before Her Eyes asks the question, “What would you do?”—not only in the moment itself, but in living with the outcome as we watch Diana’s life unravel. The survivor’s guilt is not just that she lives through something that others did not, but that she lives because others, namely her best friend, did not. As the film slowly climbs to its dramatic peak, the audience is drawn into not only the difficulty of making moral decisions, but also into vacillating ambivalence between empathy and shame for Diana. People of faith may wonder if they could be as strong as Maureen, loving Diana so deeply despite her sin, even being willing to die for her friend.

As for the cast… Well, what can you say when the headliners are Jackie Chan and Jet Li? Joining these two in what must have been an intimidating role is American actor Michael Angarano; he manages to hold his own, and even make it look easy. Overall, I found The Forbidden Kingdom to be an outstanding adventure film. The martial arts action scenes are every bit as good as you might imagine. Perhaps not surprisingly, given Chan’s influence, there is more than a little humor along the way. Fans of Jet Li and Jackie Chan won’t want to miss it. And even if you’re not familiar with these two martial artists but are in mood for a rollicking good film, take a chance and go see it!

What a dark, dark film is Street Kings… and, for its type, pretty entertaining too. Yes, this is yet another tale of police corruption—one that finds a certain loveliness in the battle between evil and less evil. So when an argument arises between “good can come from bad” and “bad breeds more bad,” the latter can’t help but win. Even when it seems that director David Ayer’s imagery is telling us that an innocent man’s death will somehow result in the betterment of the country, we’re still left with an abiding conviction at film’s end that one character’s assessment is ultimately accurate: “You hate me, but you need me.” Surely someone out there is protecting and serving without being dirty. Surely.

Nim’s Island succeeds on multiple levels. The casting offers lively interaction and apparent chemistry among the lead actors. The setting provides plenty of eye candy—transparent turquoise waters, deep, lush greens, sandy beaches, and a home/science lab that blows Swiss Family Robinson out of the water. The film is far from perfect; the greatest care was not taken in certain editorial aspects—those little details like continuity flaws, unrealistic events, and implausibilities that critics love to use to flex their egos. But this film isn’t about facts and evidence and details; rather, it subtly repeats a mantra-like theme: “You must be the hero of you own story.”

Hitchcock knew he was in the entertainment business. David Schwimmer and company seem to recognize this, too. The story is lame and simple—a guy learns ten years too late that he dumped the wrong gal, and now must run a marathon to win her back (!!)—but I connected with it. It contains a refreshing bit of human interest. It feels good in a predictable and humorous way. It celebrates the triumph of the human spirit. With some clever writing and sight gags, this movie felt like those madcap comedies of old I love so much. It’s an approach that sells movie tickets. In short, Run, Fat Boy, Run is fun, hopeful, positive and very funny.

Set against the snowy backdrop of a small town that could be almost anywhere, Snow Angels explores the connections between three couples as they each face different stages of their relationships. From young first love to poignant brokenness—both individual and relational—the bottom line is that Snow Angels is a drama that pulls no punches. There are moments of levity, but overall the tone is fairly bleak. This is not a “feel good” movie, but it is a compelling journey through the struggles of love, life, and interconnectedness between people. Personally, I found it riveting.

First, CJ7 isn’t just a rip-off of E.T. The setting of the story is entirely unique, and completely antithetical to Spielbergian suburbanality. Second, the character introductions are simply priceless. Third, there’s a light feeling to the tale that’s reminiscent of the innocent comedies produced by David Puttnam back in the 1980s—Michael Apted’s Kipperbang, in particular. Finally, the film reaches boldly for the same messianic strains as E.T.—and succeeds well there on its own terms, without merely going where aliens have gone before.

You won’t find a plethora of sub-plots or complex twists and turns. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day is what it appears to be, a simple story about people trying to cope with their lives as the shadow of war looms over them. As Miss Pettigrew learns, the trappings of money, fame and power are no guarantee of happiness and love. Indeed, they can often serve as distractions from true happiness. It feels like a 1930s movie, and to his credit director Bharat Nalluri doesn’t try to interject modern sensibilities. The period vibe is critical to telling the story here and all aspects of the film—setting, costumes, cinematography, dialogue, and acting—successfully contribute to that goal.