As July 4th comes to an end the weekend in movies is far from over. While many of the big releases for the weekend have already hit theaters earlier this week, just in case you didn’t have a chance to head to the theater on the holiday, here’s what you can look for at the movies this weekend:

The Amazing Spider-Man

First up is the biggest release of the week, ‘The Amazing Spider-Man.’ It officially came out on Tuesday, garnering the record for biggest Tuesday box office intake ever, and will probably continue to take the top spot all weekend long. Although many fans of Spider-Man were not too thrilled about this film (it’s a reboot coming out a mere 5 years after the last entry in Sam Raimi’s franchise) there’s no denying this film has a lot going for it. For starters, it’s got Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone as the leads, two stars that have risen to ultra-stardom in the last year or so. It also has Dennis Leary, Sally Fields, and Martin Sheen in meaty supporting roles. Now I personally have not had a chance to see this film but overall it has been receiving solid reviews from the critics. Many are praising it for putting so much emphasis on the young love story between Garfield and Stone (which comes off believable thanks to the real-life romance between the actors) and that the film plays more like a romantic comedy with action thrown in instead of just mindless popcorn fun. However, there are many critics that are criticizing it for not bringing any new material to the table and just handling the same plot points as Raimi’s 2002 Spider-Man origin. What’s my take? While I’m not exactly rushing to the theater for a film I’ve already seen in 2002, this does look like a worthwhile trip to the movies thanks to its impressive cast, promising director (500 Days of Summer’s Marc Webb), and mostly positive reviews.

Katy Perry: Part of Me

Next up is the Katy Perry musical documentary ala Justin Bieber’s ‘Never Say Never.’ I am a big fan of Katy Perry, but I’m not a huge fan of these types of movies. It just seems like a big PR stunt for celebrities to prove how much they love their fans. The problem is, and many critics seem to agree with me on this, anything you see on the screen is exactly what Katy Perry wants you to see. It’s clear the singer knows the cameras are there so it only makes sense she’d be nicer to her young fans for all the world to see what a wonderful person she really is. Either way, if you’re a fan of her and her music you will most likely see this movie no matter what. Not to mention it is actually the most-well reviewed film of the weekend with a 75% on Rotten Tomatoes. Entertainment Weekly says, “Part of Me works hard to prove it’s more than a glorified infomercial, and one reason it is more is that Perry has a startling story to tell.” My take? I will definitely check this film out, but I wouldn’t pay full ticket price (not to mention inflated prices for 3-Dimension), I’ll wait to check this out on video.

Savages

And last but certainly not least we have the Oliver Stone directed ‘Savages.’ This is by far the one I am most excited for this weekend. It has a slam-dunk cast (Taylor Kitsch, Salma Hayek, Benicio Del Toro, John Travolta, Blake Lively), a credible director, and a kick-ass plot involving a kidnapping involved with the gritty Mexican drug cartels. The trailer had me stoked for this and now that the reviews are in I am even more excited. While the critics aren’t claiming it is the best film of the summer (or even the weekend) they are praising it for all things sex, drugs, and violence, the kind of things that interest me in a summer movie! Roger Ebert states: “A return to form for Stone’s dark side, “Savages” generates ruthless energy and some, but not too much, humor” Sounds good to me!

So there you have it Banters. If I had to see one movie this weekend it would most definitely be ‘Savages.’ While it’s the lowest reviewed film of the 3 (at 70% on Rotten Tomatoes), I’d pick this one solely because it is different than anything else we’ve seen in awhile. Katy Perry’s documentary looks fun and bubbly, but I’ve already seen the Glee and Justin Bieber concert movies. ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ looks well acted and the action scenes look superb, but it goes without saying this isn’t an original film. And with ticket prices only getting higher, if I had to choose one I choose something different than the rest.

Let us know what movie you’re most looking forward to! Have a great weekend Banters.