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Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week!

Blended
Starring: Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Joel McHale, and Terry Crews
About: Once upon a time Adam Sandler comedies were can't miss affairs. That hasn't been true in some time, in fact his annual comedies the past few summers have been mildly to massively disappointing. However, when you look back at the cannon of Sandler, his comedies with Drew Barrymore stand out. I think "The Wedding Singer" is his best film. So I was excited to see "Wedding Singer" directed Frank Coraci reunited with Sandler and Barrymore for "Blended." The film didn't do incredible at the Box Office — taking in just $18 million over the Memorial Day holiday. But in comparison to recent Sandler offerings, this feels like a step in the right direction. Granted, the set up is a little weak and the first half of the movie is a little dull. But once they get to Africa, the action picks up, the comedy picks up, the family pathos is present, and Barrymore and Sandler shine together. There are worse ways to spend a summer afternoon or evening. This isn't as good as "The Wedding Singer" or even "50 First Dates," but it's a lot better than "Grown Ups." Sandler might never be where he once was in terms of being a reliable summer comedy machine, but "Blended" shows he's still capable of delivering an entertaining summer film.
Rating: PG-13 for crude and sexual content, and language.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

X-Men: Days of Future Past
Starring: Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Hugh Jackman, Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Ellen Page, and Nicholas Hoult
About: Back in the summer of 2000 when Bryan Singer launched the “X-Men” movie franchise, superhero movies weren’t really a big thing yet. In fact, no one was really sure if the “X-Men” movie would spawn a franchise, either. Fourteen years later, superheroes are, indeed, big money at the Box Office. Three blockbusters based on Marvel Comics properties have been released in the last two months alone. And, among that sea of superhero action, the “X-Men” franchise is still going strong. The little summer movie in 2000 has spawned six sequels — including “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” which bowed on Friday. And after bouncing around on other projects, Singer has returned to the franchise he helped birth for a movie that brings everyone back together and, quite possibly, sets the stage for a big future for the franchise. “Days of Future Past” reunites the characters from the original “X-Men” franchise, introduces some new faces and mixes in the characters introduced in the “X-Men” prequel, “X-Men: First Class.” It makes for a loaded and packed production that is matched by a loaded, packed and time-bending storyline. Singer brought a unique style and vision to “X-Men” when the franchise began. His films were focused not just on the heroes and their powers, but also on the larger social issues that appeared in the comics. While many of the films that followed — including “X-Men: The Last Stand” and the Wolverine stand-alone films — have strayed from that focus, Singer brings it back to the forefront with “Days of Future Past.” As the original film did, “Days of Future Past” begins with a question about the nature of man and the future of the world posed by Professor X. The rest of what follows grapples with that — among other issues — as it moves to the conclusion. “Days of Future Past” also secures a new future for the “X-Men” franchise. Much in the same way J.J. Abrams “Star Trek” re-booted that franchise with a gambit that changed the timeline, so “Days of Future Past” goes to 1973, changes the course of history and opens up the X-Men world to a new future. This is hinted at in the closing sequences of the film, in which only Wolverine is aware of what happened in the previous X-Men films. This opens the door to new characters and to welcoming favorite characters back into the fold. In other words, this seventh film in the franchise pays tribute to all that came before it while opening the door wide to begin again. “X-Men: First Class” was my favorite film of the franchise, and still is. What works well with “Days of Future Past” is that it helps continue that story with those characters. This film accomplishes the neat trick of opening the door for continued stories in the past — following the events of 1973 depicted in the film — while opening up new stories for the older versions of these characters in the future. “Days of Future Past” is an ambitious film that is well told, well acted and well put together. It is the best of the summer blockbusters released so far, and it does a great job of blending a lot of plot, a lot of characters and a lot of ideas into a cohesive and enjoyable film. While it will play best to comic book fans who are familiar with the world and the previous installments of the “X-Men” franchise, “Days of Future Past” also has a story and characters that will appeal to audiences looking for a summer action film. It’s a satisfying and engrossing film, and one that opens up a world of possibilities that prove after 14 years there are still plenty of X-Men stories to tell.
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi violence and action, some suggestive material, nudity and language.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:

Friday, May 30 — "Malificent," "A Million Ways to Die in the West"