Nick Carraway: Who is this Gatsby?

A Baz Luhrmann-directed adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's acclaimed novel "The Great Gatsby" is either the summer blockbuster for everyone else or the obscure one that joins the fold of all the others. Everyone that has gotten their fill of superheroes, disaster films, alien invasions, and other high concept ideas, now has the option of seeing the big budget drama that is filled with lavish production values and emotions that sit right on the surface of the characters. Instead of actions sequences, there are extravagant party scenes, with an aggressively modern soundtrack. Instead of tough one-liners, there are flippant asides. Instead of the destruction of city blocks, there are explosions of champagne bottles amidst the CG rendered New York of the 1920s. All of this can be exciting to the right viewer. Luhrmann has attempted to make the ultimate film version of 'Gatsby', but for all the style and excess, it still has the core romantic drama that takes hold in the second half and ends the more frenzied excitement that propels the first half. It is fortunate, however, that this is perhaps the most entertaining adaptation of the story overall, given the less successful attempts from the past.

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Tony Stark: You know, it's times like these when I realize what a superhero I am.

Following the fever dream of comic geekery meets worldwide appeal that was 2012's The Avengers, Marvel Studios is now back to producing a standalone feature for the star that kicked it all off - Iron Man. Taking a step away from his super friends, Iron Man 3 is refreshing in how it does not need to try and work in a grander plot in order to set up films down the line, in the way that made Iron Man 2 suffer. Instead, this is a story that tests all of Tony Stark's abilities, beyond just having a protective suit of armor. It certainly works as a grand summer spectacle and the re-teaming of Robert Downey Jr. and writer/director Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) certainly makes for a highly entertaining experience. The real question is whether or not this third entry is really able to balance all that it tries to throw at the audience. For now, I would say that it at least does it better than many other third entries in superhero film franchises, but this time around does feel a lot like having a new and improved model of the Iron Man suit on the same sort of material.

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Daniel Lugo: My name is Daniel Lugo and I believe in fitness.

Pain & Gain is what it looks like when Michael Bay decides he wants to make a little movie, as opposed to another action epic. The director known for making bombastic action blockbusters has taken a step back to make a smaller film based on a true story, but it does not mean he put his signature style in check. Pain & Gain is very glossy film, gorgeous at times, and certainly not subtle. It is also an incredibly dark comedy, with a story so ridiculous that it has to be true, and it is. Based on a true crime story, this film does its best to depict what happens when seemingly good-natured crooks get in way over their heads and resort to drastic measures to achieve their American dream. While Bay's style can be grating for some, the mix of a strong cast and a messy, but compelling story makes this a film with a lot more going on than the standard Bay blockbuster.

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Jack Harper: Is it possible to miss a place you've never been? To mourn a time you never lived?

To speak about Oblivion to those who have not yet seen the film and do not want to be spoiled on what is in store for them, I have to not mention the many different films and sci-fi concepts that it lifts from. A film I can mention, in comparison, would be Prometheus. It is not because the films are related from a story standpoint in any way, aside from them both being gorgeous sci-fi features, but more due to expectation versus results. While Ridley Scott returning to sci-fi, via Alien, to a loose degree, was much more exciting in concept, both Prometheus and Oblivion set up a certain level of expectation, only to both fall victim to familiar plot devices and concepts not as fresh as some may have hoped. That said, Oblivion manages to accomplish a number of things that are quite refreshing to see. It looks great (in 2D!), it is strongly acted, and it works as a standalone film, as opposed to one expecting to be a new franchise. This 'original' sci-fi property may not feel excitingly new, but it still delivers in many areas where it really counts.

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