JoBlo.com previews this week’s new releases: May 27, 2011

At JoBlo.com, we feel it’s our duty to keep you informed and satisfied. You want to know what your big choices are at the theater each weekend, and we’re happy to reach out and give you the full release.

THE HANGOVER PART II

Who’s In It? Bradley Cooper, Zack Galifianakis, Ed Helms, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong, a monkey, Paul Giamatti, Jamie Chung

Who Made It? Directed by Todd Phillips (Warner Bros.)

What Is It? Several buddies head to Las Vegas Bangkok for a wild bachelor party weekend. After a night of hard partying, they awaken with superficial alterations, a trained animal, severe memory loss and a missing member of their group. Battling the hangover haze, they must follow clues to locate their friend and learn about their own forgotten fun-fueled antics. (Hey, we’ve all been there, right? Yeah… two summers ago.)

How’s It Look From Here? Hmmm, amnesia and deja vu. After the amusing twists of the first surprise smash, audiences are eager to see what the Wolfpack are up to next. And while loads of people will undoubtedly turn up opening weekend (also a nice long holiday to nurse their own alcohol-induced aches), will they be as satisfied to see them basically doing the same things but in a different city?

 

KUNG FU PANDA 2

Who’s In It? Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Gary Oldman, Seth Rogen, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Jackie Chan, Dustin Hoffman, James Woods, David Cross, Michelle Yeoh, Lucy Liu, Victor Garber, James Hong, Dennis Haysbert

Who Made It? Directed by Jennifer Yuh (Dreamworks Animation)

What Is It? Portly panda Po and his fellow furry fighters are back for more action (in 3D, of course). This time, Po and the famed Furious Five must face a vengeful peacock (Gary Oldman!) and a devastating weapon, while our hero uncovers the truth about his own noodle-making family.

How’s It Look From Here? Talking animals engaging in martial arts provided a familiar but enjoyable experience with both heart and fists the first time, and there’s no reason to expect less from the sequel (one of many to expect, as Dreamworks Animation honcho Jeffrey Katzenberg claims there are six chapters mapped out).

Black’s incessant jabbering seems infinitely more tolerable when he’s a digitized beast, and this one throws in the reliable Oldman and some legit behind-the-CG chopsockey skills in Chan chum Michelle Yeoh and kicking colleague JCVD.

 

OUTLOOK

Sticking to a successful formula is one thing, but there’s a distinct whiff of regurgitation this weekend… both in family and decidedly grown-up form. If you want to see grown-ups dealing with a family on a screen, you’ll have to track down TREE OF LIFE, filmmaker Terrence Malick’s limited release featuring Brad Pitt and occasional inscrutability.

Source: JoBlo.com

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