Kick-Ass
4 stars

Action lovers and comic book fanboys and girls, get ready for the ride of your lives with “Kick-Ass.” Set in downtown Manhattan, the movie is about a socially awkward teen who loves to read comic books. Using his favorite characters as inspiration, he decides to become a vigilante superhero on his own, using the only two things any good superhero needs: a mask and a too-tight suit. Calling himself Kick-Ass, he sets out to fight crime, while running into other vigilantes along the way, all with heroic names like Red Mist, Big Daddy and Hit Girl.
Though “Kick-Ass” is a comedy, it is clearly not meant for everyone. The action scenes contain violence
and gore that rival a movie by Quentin Tarantino.

Also, Hit Girl is one of the most foul-mouthed 13-year-olds ever to make it to the big screen; some of her lines would make even the most hardened sailor run for his mother.

While the movie’s violence and language may make parents think twice about letting their children see it, “Kick-Ass” is definitely worth the price of admission. It is witty throughout and downright hilarious at moments, and the outrageous characters could possibly inspire a wave of teenage vigilantism in the real world.

Date Night
2 stars

When the Foster family tries a new and exciting date to get out of a marital rut, they find out that their “Date Night” wasn’t meant to be.

Phil (Steve Carell) and Claire (Tina Fey) Foster are the typical boring couple stuck in the same marital routine. Hoping to spice up the relationship and avoid becoming only “excellent roommates” with one another, Phil takes Claire out to a fancy Manhattan dinner.

When the restaurant is overbooked, Phil snags someone else’s reservation and for the rest of the night the Fosters are trapped in a mistaken identity dilemma.

Throughout the Fosters’ crazy night, there are many points of confusion, and at times audiences may wonder why the Fosters would make such unrealistically horrible decisions. However, what is really noticeable about this “comedy” is its lack of comedy.

Although the movie is mildly entertaining, with a star-studded cast including Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Mark Wahlberg and James Franco, there were high expectations for laughs that didn’t turn out.

Despite a few moments of laugh-out-loud humor, “Date Night” just isn’t funny, and like Phil and Claire Foster, the movie is average and does not live up to its potential. When the movie attempts to go funny and bold, it instead disappoints.

Instead of watching “Date Night” on your date night, skip the theater and wait to rent this movie for a lazy rainy day. In a movie where soldiers are make-up clad and wearing short dresses, it’s violence and battle scenes that steal the show.

Clash of the Titans
3.5 stars

The new “Clash of the Titans” movie revolves around the demigod son of Zeus, Perseus (Sam Worthington), and a legion of soldiers who wage war on the Gods.

After deliberation between Zeus, God of the Heavens and Hades, God of the Underworld, the Gods decide that mankind must sacrifice a princess or else suffer the wrath of the Kraken, an evil creature from the Underworld.

Perseus and his group of men embark on a journey to kill the Kraken before the princess is sacrificed.

In “Clash of the Titans,” the plot moves as quickly as the swords in the battle scenes, jumping from one fight to the next without any transitions. This quick pace means lack of character development and hardly any meaningful dialogue. Instead, there are countless fight sequences that range from fighting giant scorpions in the desert to trying to capture Medusa in her lair. When dialogue is used, however, it is typically in clichéd scenes designed to make the audience laugh or feel inspired, which the movie accomplishes well.

Like the original, the movie definitely has a corny aura to it that is seen in the special effects, costumes and interactions among characters.

However, the cheesiness of the “Titans” and the fast-paced mindless action should not deter people from seeing this movie. While the movie may have flaws, its nonstop entertainment and endless violence make it worth seeing for anyone looking to enjoy an action-packed thriller.