Rapid-fire summer movie grades

Summer is drawing to a close and I haven't seen as many movies as I'd have liked (that's always the case - so it's nothing new). However, it's grading time and I'll have to make do with what I've got. Without further ado, here they are:

Kick-Ass - A+
Talent, originality and a potty-mouthed preteen who knows how to kill you six ways from Sunday. This may not be box office fodder but it's definitely comic book gold and a new cult classic.

A Nightmare on Elm Street - B-
Jackie Earle Haley created a magnetic, blade-grinding Freddie for the new age. The other leads, Nancy in particular, just sank. You know it's a problem when the slaughtered teens stand out more than the ones that survive.

Iron Man 2 - A-
The original Iron Man was a total A+ movie and comparisons are inevitable. Being a tad repetitive in parts brings it close to a B. It stays as an A because it manages to take grab hold of the worthy successor status courtesy eclectic new characters, eye candy action sequences and lip-smacking Avengers tidbits.

Robin Hood - B+
Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe definitely have epic aspirations with this one. The acting talent on display, the elaborate battles and camerawork all have a Gladiator-esque flavor. However, this story was not the bill of goods I was originally sold. I wanted the definitive take on Robin Hood, not the man before the legend or whatever this was attempting to be. It felt more like Robin Hood: Origins than Robin Hood and that took away from it quite a bit.

Shrek Forever After - C+
I love Shrek and his supporting cast and I always will. Having said that, some franchises are way past their sell-by date. Terminator is one, Shrek is another. This one feels fatigued, wrung out and plain lackluster. Sorry, this just does not work anymore.

Image via Wikipedia

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time - B-
They were hoping it would be the next Pirates of the Caribbean. It wound up just surpassing The Scorpion King. Video game movies are always dicey and this one was trying for epic franchise status but could only go a little further than mild popcorn pleasure. Jake Gyllenhaal sells the character all right but the mish-mash of accents, tones and costumes don't add up to much. Very forgettable!

Sex and the City 2 - A-
I've been a fan since the TV series. I loved the first one and the sequel is in some ways even better. It hits all the right notes and is funny, cheesy and over-the-top in all the right places. Sure, the characters haven't changed much in spite of the financial crisis and everything but that's what they're all about. The trip to the Middle East actually impressed me because they showed me a little something I didn't expect to see in a SOTC movie - cultural sensitivity. Wow, what has the world come to? Next we'll be talking about an animated Terminator movie for the kiddies - oh, wait...never mind.

More to come...hold your horses.