Superhero Summer

Summer is almost over and after a slow delay it actually got hot for a week here in Chicago. Summer movies are always a good escape from the heat. More than ever, this season was full of comic books brought to life although without past hits Spiderman, Batman and Superman not represented this time out. Thor hammered his way finally onto the big screen. Seeing the star at the comic convention kept nerd's hearts fluttering.

This flick was offered in 3-D or 2-D. The effects were brilliant either way. The rainbow bridge brought the heroes back and forth from Asgard to Earth. Natalie Portman has blown up since Thor was filmed winning her an Oscar while she waited for release date. There was just the right amount of humor to compliment the action. Chris Hemsworth is dreamy. Look for the DVD on September 13th to freeze the frame in select steamy moments.

X-men First Class brought the mutants back to their roots with a prequel. I expected a bomb but instead it blew up in my face when slick scenes and acting kept this retro film improving on past projects from our outsiders. This offering from the X-men franchise is easily watchable again and again. See a special appearance with Kevin Bacon that will surprise many of his fans.

One superhero flick that didn't fly was Green Lantern. While the trailer didn't look bad, they only showed the best parts. Ryan Reynolds tried to be funny but it fell flat. The special effects cost lots of money but it was for nothing as this Lantern may not light up again.
Captain America had a tough road with having no flashy powers to shield him. Audiences were rewarded that stayed after the credits with a preview of the new Avengers film debuting in 2012.

There were many other great films this summer such as Friends With Benefits but this one belonged to people with extraordinary powers. Conan opens now although many people may not know he started in the funny papers.
Batman and Spiderman come back in the spring.
Icon is the place to enjoy the cinema with cocktails, food and luxury seats. Also, AMC offers cheap deals during the week and early. See you at the movies!