New Movies and Box Office Predictions: Adventureland, Fast & Furious

March is over; April is upon us. It is now time to begin the build towards blockbuster season in earnest. Before you know it, May will be here, stacked with blockbuster titles like Star Trek, Wolverine, and Terminator. To help prime the pump, so to speak, you will be served a selection of films that aim to to ignite the spark, summer's kindling, if you will. This weekend is also the one that was originally slated to feature the new Wolfman film, until it was pushed to November, leaving a slot available for Fast & Furious to slip into (it was originally slated to open in June). So, anything look good to you?

Adventureland. (2009, 106 minutes, R, comedy) This looks pretty darn funny. It strikes me as a cross between Superbad and Waiting... It is a coming of age story about an uptight recent college grad whose life can no longer be subsidized by his parents. In order to fund his desired post-college activities he takes a job at a local amusement park, thus embarking on a journey of discovery and fun. The cast includes Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Martin Starr, Ryan Reynolds, Bill Hader, and Kristen Wiig. Superbad's director Greg Mottola is also at the helm here; he looks to get a similar vibe to his previous outing. I certainly hope that it delivers.

Fast & Furious. (2009, 99 minutes, PG-13, action) As the tag line says, "New Model, Original Parts." This fourth entry in the car-based series features the return of all four primaries from the original film, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, and Michelle Rodriguez. They come together for director Justin Lin, making his second entry following Tokyo Drift. I truly cannot see this movie being any good, but it certainly looks like fun. I have no idea what the plot is, but the teaser trailer gives us a high energy action sequence that sees our heroes pulling off a daring heist of a gasoline land train. Will the rest of the movie match that energy? One can only hope.

Article Author: Chris Beaumont

Christopher Beaumont spends much of his time writing about music and movies when he isn't indulging in them. He is always ready to talk about his favorite form of entertainment and offer up recommendations. Follow: Twitter and Tumblr. Visit: Critical Outcast. …

Visit Chris Beaumont's author page — Chris Beaumont's Blog