It's that time of year. That awkward time between the release of the wonderfully original and meaningful Oscar-nominated films and the lazily-derivative-yet-supremely-entertaining summer blockbuster season, featuring such hot releases as "Let's Keep Rebooting This Superhero Franchise Until People Stop Giving Us Their Money" and "Remember When This Was Cool in the 80s?" And who can forget the highly anticipated reboot of "Independence Day," which will not be as insanely awesome as the first movie based solely on the fact that it will not feature renowned alien face-puncher Will Smith chomping on a cigar and uttering memorable one-liners.
The months of February through May, on the other hand, often follow a pattern like this: terrible romantic comedies, forgettable sequels to movies that nobody liked in the first place, horribly cheesy pre-Easter Christian films, and bad horror movies. But this spring's crop of films seems to have a few hidden gems. Allow me to direct your attention toward a few movies that look like they may be worth the $10 ticket.
"Zootopia"
Release Date: Out Now
Disney's newest animated feature, set in a world of anthropomorphic animals, tells the story of a rookie bunny police officer teaming up with a cunning fox con-artist to uncover a conspiracy. It features the voice talents of Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin in her first feature-length film.
It sounds like typical Disney fluff targeting children, but critic reviews have assured me that this film is sharp, funny, good-natured, and has the fast pace and humor necessary to keep even adults entertained. "Zootopia" sports a near-perfect 99 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with 95 percent of viewers saying they enjoyed it. For me, that's enough evidence to suggest that this movie is well worth a trip to the theater.
"My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2"
Release Date: March 25
Toula and Ian deal with the struggles of parenting as their rebellious teenage daughter prepares to go to college. Meanwhile, a shocking family secret is revealed (dun, dun, duunnn) that will bring the Portokalos family back together for another Greek wedding. This looks to be a refreshing sequel to the highest-grossing romantic comedy of all time.
I am always skeptical about sequels, but on the surface, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" seems to be different. The original film came out in 2002 to rave reviews and wild success. This was well-deserved, too. It was unique, witty, and tastefully hilarious. 14 years later, the sequel has all the signs of playing off of the audience's nostalgia for "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" without being a derivative money-grab. Likewise, it seems to have done a good job of honoring the humor and charm of the original film while at the same time offering a fresh take on the characters. The entire original cast is returning as well, which to me seems like a good sign. We'll have to wait and see, but I am optimistic about this one.
The Jungle Book
Release Date: April 15
I made fun of reboots and sequels in the intro to this article and then proceeded to suggest a sequel, and now a reboot. I am well aware of that, hypothetical reader. But I don't see how a live-action reboot of what was (in my opinion) one of the best Disney animated films ever can be anything but awesome. I trust Disney. Have you seen "Star Wars?" I mean, come on. It wasn't even Disney's own franchise until recently and they absolutely knocked it out of the park. Disney very rarely disappoints, and I have to believe that they will do "The Jungle Book" the justice that it deserves. Also, I found some screen-grabs from the film and holy Mowgli is it beautiful (see what I did there?).
Based on the quality of the CGI alone, I am confident that Disney has not cut any corners in the making of this movie, and I will be first in line to see it.
"Whiskey Tango Foxtrot"
Release Date: Out Now
Sporting a pretty solid 62 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" looks like a "love-it-or-hate-it" kind of film. Suggesting this one seems like the biggest risk, but Tina Fey has not let me down yet so I, at least, am going to give it a shot. It follows the story of an American reporter (Tina Fey) who accepts an assignment in war-torn Afghanistan in order to shake up her everyday routine.
The main complaints about this film relate to its cultural insensitivity, which is not surprising given the premise of the film and the fact that it is a comedy. I'll approach this film with cautious optimism.
