Jackman plays Charlie Denton, an ex-boxer working the low level robot boxing circuit in the near future.  He’s a jerk. He owes everyone and their mother money, and when his fighter ‘Ambush’ gets demolished in a Texas rodeo, he’s hit rock bottom. This all changes, however, when he receives word his ex wife has died in a car crash, leaving his estranged son, Max (Dakota Goyo), in his custody. With an Aunt eagerly wanting to adopt Max, Denton weasels his way into selling the kid to her rich husband so he can buy the famed robot ‘Noisy Boy’ and continue competing in the circuit. The only problem is, he has to take care of Max for rest of the summer, something he’s not cut out for. But since the kids got an attitude, he forces Denton to take him along for the ride.

As they compete, Denton’s impulsive personality lands him into even more dirt when he gets Noisy Boy destroyed. With no other choice, he takes Max to the scrap yard for a new fighter, where the kid finds ‘Atom’, an old school sparring bot he believes will be their champion. Tension ensues as they both try to make Atom a winner and take him to the big leagues.

You can pretty much see where this is going, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum, Cheaper by the Dozen) hits us with great boxing matches, stunning shots on the American Heartlands, and most importantl, building a great dynamic between Jackman and Goyo from the start. Not to mention elevating Richard Matheson’s short story (which became a twilight zone episode with Lee Marvin) to a whole new level. There’s plenty in here for both kids and adults to enjoy.

Is Real Steal formulaic? Yes. Does a Limp Bizkit song play during one of the fights? Yes. Is Phil Lamar one of the commentators for the end battle? Maybe. But rest assured, Real Steel is a father-son story first, sports movie second. The only reason we remotely care about what we’re watching is because of the chemistry Jackman and Goyo share on screen, which is superb. Add in a great cast of supporting actors like Evangeline Lily, Anthony Mackie, and the always entertaining Kevin Durand, and you’ve got yourself a piece of good ‘ole Hollywood Cinema.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Jack Sparrow is back, and this time, it’s personal…or something like that.

Watch The New TV Spot For 'Pirates 4' Or "Die Trying"

Louder Than a Bomb

Louder Than a Bomb follows a group of Chicago high schoolers as they compete in a youth poetry slam.
 
Now that sounds like a film that was screaming to be made.
 
Best Review
Greg Jacobs and Jon Siskel’s Louder Than a Bomb is an affecting and superbly paced celebration of American youth at their creative best.
 
Robert Koehler – Variety
 
Worst Review
Well, this is awkward. There are no negative reviews for this film. But I get paid by the word, so I’ll use this opportunity type a long and rambling sentence that serves no other purpose but to increase the size of my next paycheck.
 
Our Recommendation
Since the film is rocking a 100% rating at Rotten Tomatoes, there’s no way I can tell you not to see this film. But I will tell you what my dad told me on my 18th birthday: “rhyming is for assholes.”
 

Midnight in Paris

Midnight in Paris, a romantic comedy set in the city of lights, is the latest outing from director Woody Allen.

‘Midnight In Paris’ Trailer: Now It’s Owen Wilson’s Turn To Imitate Woody Allen

But this week, I’ve decided to take a different approach. Below you will find a list of new films that are being released this weekend, along with the best and worst reviews we could find. I hope you’re happy, mom.

Priest

Priest tells the story of a priest. That’s about it. Oh, wait! There’s more.

New ‘Priest’ Trailer A Work Of Vampire Alarmism

Best Review
A surprisingly effective piece of genre filmmaking, littered with flaws but none so glaring as to sink the film as a whole.

Thomas Leupp – Hollywood.com

Worst Review
Lately, it feels like there are two things you can count on in a Screen Gems movie. 1) It will suck. 2) It will feature Cam Gigandet. And he will suck.

Alonso Duralde – HitFix

Our Recommendation
With a 19% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, I recommend staying away from this priest like he was Father Geoghan.

bridesmaids

This week seems to be filled with rather obvious movie titles. Priest, Bridesmaids, etc.

Jon Hamm's Soup Is Done In 'Bridesmaids' Red-Band Trailer

Best Review
Is this the female version of The Hangover? No – Bridesmaids is much funnier and way more heartfelt and human than that film.

Devin Faraci – CHUD

Worst Review
Cringe-inducing, uneven, juvenile, overlong and painfully unfunny. It’s a witless blend of crudeness, rudeness and lewdness which sets a new low for American comedy.

Avi Offer – NYC Movie Guru

Our Recommendation
After watching the trailer, I was skeptical. But I should have had more faith in producer Judd Apatow. And since it has an RT ratting of 90%, I’ve gotta say the critics who don’t like this film are definitely in the minority. No, really, I have to say that because 10% is by definition a minority.

Everything Must Go

When a drunken salesmen loses his job and his wife in the same day, he is forced to sell all of his belongings via yard sale to make ends meet.

Will Ferrell Is A Broken And Miserable Man In ‘Everything Must Go’

Best Review
Will Ferrell delivers a performance of implosive intensity that rings true in every detail.

Peter Travers – Rolling Stone

Worst Review
It lives up to its title in ways its maker never intended.

Ty Burr – Boston Globe

Our Recommendation
From the look of it, Will Ferrell is trying to follow in the steps of Bill Murray by proving himself as a dramatic actor. His first outing, Stranger Than Fiction, got the ball rolling. And the mostly positive reviews for Everything Must Go give us no reason to doubt his potential. See for yourself.