By Chip Chandler — Digital Content Producer
Captain America: Civil War
The summer movie season kicks off today with what's being called Avengers 2.5 — less of a Cap sequel than another jam session with virtually all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's heroes (the earthbound ones, at least). Interestingly, it comes just over a month after Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and appears to deal with many of the same themes, especially how to hold heroes accountable for their mistakes. "If all this sounds a little familiar, it’s because it’s essentially the same basic plot as Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," writes Soren Anderson for the Seattle Times. "Only with a lot more characters. And greater depth. And better writing. And, eventually, humor." Reviewers can't seem to help comparing the DC and Marvel efforts -- and Cap and buddies are coming out on top. "Crisply photographed, thoughtfully acted and often refreshingly amusing, Civil War injects doses of much-needed fun into a genre of filmmaking that’s become mired in dour pretentiousness," Ann Hornaday writes for the Washington Post. I'm seeing it tonight and will have a review tomorrow. (PG-13 for extended sequences of violence, action and mayhem; United Artists Amarillo Star 14, 8275 W. Amarillo Blvd.; Cinemark Hollywood 16, 9100 Canyon Drive; Tascoa Drive-In, 1999 Dumas Highway)
Enter the Dragon
Bruce Lee's final film kicks its way back into theaters as part of Cinemark's classics series. The 1973 movie was Lee's final film before his death at age 32 and the first Chinese martial arts film produced by a major Hollywood studio. In the movie, which Lee co-wrote, martial arts experts are invited to compete in a tournament on an island, only to learn that the competition is a front for drug running and prostitution. "Bruce Lee’s final film, Enter the Dragon, was also his greatest," Sascha Matuszak writes for Vice's Fightland blog. "Of all the kung fu films pouring out of Hong Kong during the late 1960s and '70s, only Enter the Dragon pushed through into the global consciousness in a strong way." The film is considered so significant it was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry for the Library of Congress. It'll screen at 2 p.m. Sunday and 2 and 7 p.m. Wednesday. (R for martial arts violence and brief nudity; Hollywood 16)
* Chip Chandler is a digital content producer for Panhandle PBS. He can be contacted at Chip.Chandler@actx.edu, at @chipchandler1 on Twitter and at www.facebook.com/chipchandlerwriter on Facebook.
