Movie Recommendations: Week of May 8

The Best Movies in Theaters

'X-Men Origins: Wolverine'

Release Date: May 1

Reviews are mixed, and word on the leaked, unfinished copy was largely negative. But 'X' fans can relax: Director Gavin Hood's got what you want. Hugh Jackman fans can whoop it up: Hugh's totally ripped and rarin' to go. Taylor Kitsch fans can let out that long-held breath: Gambit suits him. The action is huge (and so is that one mutant), the one-liners fly and 'X-Men' aficionados will be left wanting more ('Origins: Gambit,' perhaps?). -- Angie Argabrite



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'Ghosts of Girlfriends Past'

Release Date: May 1

Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner are cute and cuter in this sort of rom-com meets 'Christmas Carol.' The 'Scrooged' aspect gives it a tad more edge than your typical sap-fest, and McConaughey and Garner have nice chemistry -- always a plus in a romance. We'll just say this, 'Girlfriends' will not show up when the Ghost of Wasting Your Time in the Theater Past comes to haunt you. -- Angie Argabrite



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'Earth'

Release Date: April 24

Fans of the BBC's 'Planet Earth' will know what to expect from Disney's first in a series of new nature docs. This breathtakingly beautiful film plays like a highlight reel from the beloved series (still, its gorgeous imagery begs to be seen on the big screen). For others, this is a grand introduction to a new brand of eco-friendly entertainment, and does indeed put 'March of the Penguins' to shame. Better yet, it sees 'Penguins' narrator Morgan Freeman and raises it a James Earl Jones. -- Kevin Polowy



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'The Soloist'

Release Date: April 24

'Atonement' director Joe Wright returns with this drama delayed from last fall (there goes the Oscar push) about a homeless, schizophrenic cello virtuoso (Jamie Foxx) and the reporter (Robert Downey Jr.) who discovers him. Part 'Rainman,' part 'Mr. Holland's Opus,' the film's acting is superb (especially by Foxx, in an unflinching performance) and the story is intriguing, but Wright's incessant over-stylization turns out to be its undoing. -- Kevin Polowy



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'State of Play'

Release Date: April 17

Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck and Rachel McAdams headline this slick and twisty yet convoluted political thriller about deep-seated corruption in DC and a villainous weapons contractor that bares an uncanny resemblance to Halliburton. Also a love letter to good ol' fashion newspaper investigative journalism, it won't be confused with 'All the President's Men' anytime soon, but it's 10 times smarter than most big-budget Hollywood product. -- Kevin Polowy



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'17 Again'

Release Date: April 17

Zac Efron impresses in his first non-'HSM' big-screen vehicle. He's the teenaged version of Matthew Perry, who goes back to high school to find out why things went so wrong in his life. The movie's got enough broad comedy to entertain the boys, enough romance -- and Zac! -- to make the girls happy. And the gratuitously shirtless Efron in the opening scene? We don't think many will complain. -- Angie Argabrite



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'Is Anybody There?'

Release Date: April 17

Michael Cain shines as a retired magician who, battling senility and crippled by regret, is forced to live out his final days at an old-folks' home. 'Son of Rambow' wunderkind Bill Milner -- in just his second film ever -- matches the acting legend every step of the way, turning in a touching performance as the 10-year-old boy whose friendship reminds Caine just how magical life can be. -- Tom DiChiara



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'Observe and Report'

Release Date: April 10

Don't call 'Observe & Report' "the other mall-cop comedy"; call this Seth Rogen-starrer "a dark, twisted, sick, weird mix of black comedy, violent action and pathetic character drama." Watch it at your own risk. (And this is from someone who actually liked it.) -- Angie Argabrite



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'Anvil! The Story of Anvil'

Release Date: April 10

This highly buzzed-about rock doc tells the true story of -- you guessed it -- Anvil, the Canadian metal band that influenced Metallica, Anthrax and Megadeth (among others), but never caught a break or hit it big. Despite metal's vast decline, over-50 "rock stars" Lips and Robb Reiner are still trying. Playing out like a true-life 'Spinal Tap,' a less-hostile 'Metallica: Some Kind of Monster' and, at times, a hilarious bromance, 'Anvil' is a can't-miss for music lovers. -- Kevin Polowy



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'Adventureland'

Release Date: April 3

Greg Mottola's follow-up to last summer's raunchy hit 'Superbad' isn't a 1987-set version of that film (sorry, McLovin fans). Instead, it's a funny, sad, nostalgic look back at that transformative summer between college and real life, as seen through the eyes of an uptight grad (the excellent Jesse Eisenberg) who finds meaning and love (with 'Twilight' starlet Kristen Stewart, no less) in the unlikeliest of places: working as a carnie in Pennsylvania. -- Tom DiChiara



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