This week's new movie releases - April 3, 2009

This week, we're only looking at two wide releases: Greg Mottola's comedy "Adventureland" with Jesse Eisenberg, Ryan Reynolds, Kristen Stewart and Bill Hader, and Justin Lin's "Fast & Furious," starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster:

FAST & FURIOUS

Synopsis: When a crime brings them back to L.A., fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto reignites his feud with agent Brian O'Conner. But as they are forced to confront a shared enemy, Dom and Brian must give in to an uncertain new trust if they hope to outmanuever him. And from convoy heists to precision tunnel crawls across international lines, two men will find the best way to get revenge: push the limits of what's possible behind the wheel.

First thoughts: I enjoyed "The Fast and the Furious," but I wasn't at all impressed by "2 Fast 2 Furious." I haven't even seen "Tokyo Drift." Anyway, the return of the original cast does souns appealing, and I am really interested to see whether Walker and Diesel can steer this franchise back into the right direction. This race is far from being over...

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ADVENTURELAND

Synopsis: The film, set in the summer of 1987, concerns an uptight recent college grad who is forced to take a minimum wage job at the local amusement park after realizing he can't afford his dream European tour. The experience helps him to loosen up a bit as he finds first love, forms new friendships and matures just in time to enter the real world in the fall.

First thoughts: I thoroughly enjoyed the silliness and edgy humor of Mottola's "Superbad," and that's exacrtly why I am really looking forward to "Adventureland." The film's story line sounds refreshing, and especially the cast is top-notch. I sincerely hope these folks have plenty of hilarious material to work with in this comedy. I'm ready for the ride.