After a lull at the movies, we’ve finally reached the beginning of summer blockbuster season. The first weekend will easily be ruled by Robert Downey Jr. and his Iron Man entourage. It’s so imminent that Hollywood has cleared the way, leaving the sequel as the only major movie coming out on May 7. But on May 14, Russell Crowe puts on Robin Hood tights and goes after the evil Sheriff of Nottingham. Iron Man appears to be the superior flick, but we’ll see if Robin Hood can steal from his riches.
MAY 7
BABIES
It’s not easy to make fun of a documentary. Even a mediocre documentary is better than most of the garbage that Hollywood sends our way. “Babies” follows the first year of life for four infants from different parts of the world (Mongolia to Namibia to San Francisco to Tokyo). New parents should take note of the goat drinking from one child’s bathwater while he is still in the tub.
IRON MAN 2
Cue Sabbath. Robert Downey Jr. is back as the man made of, well, iron and his business-savvy alter-ego Tony Stark. In this second outing, Iron Man faces off against Whiplash (Mickey Rourke) and business rival Jonathan Hammer (Sam Rockwell). Movie nerds might recall that Terrence Howard was replaced by Don Cheadle as Lt. Rhodes, who becomes War Machine in this flick. Gwyneth Paltrow returns as Pepper Potts and Stark’s eye will likely be drawn to his new assistant, played by Scarlett Johansson.
MAY 14
LETTERS TO JULIET
When Amanda Seyfried isn’t dissing polygamy on “Big Love,” she’s playing the wide-eyed lead in chick flicks like this. In “Letters to Juliet,” she plays an American girl who travels to Verona, where she joins a group of volunteers who respond to letters addressed to Juliet Capulet, as in Romeo and Juliet. I’m not sure which is sadder, people asking a fictional character (also dead, btw) for relationship advice, or the people who write back to these blockheads while waiting for their own lives to begin. They should all be writing letters to Iron Man, asking him how to be cool.
ROBIN HOOD
Guitar riff, fight scene, close-up of Russell Crowe’s scowl, guitar riff. Arrow! Roll credits. Yes, another product of Ridley Scott’s ongoing bromance with Russell Crowe. Crowe would have been a perfect Sheriff of Nottingham to face off against a younger Robin Hood. Whether it can shed the silliness has yet to be seen.
