This week's new movie releases - April 17, 2009

Here's what's on the menu this week: Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor's "Crank: High Voltage" with Jason Statham, "17 Again" with Zac Efron, and Kevin Macdonald's thriller "State of Play" with Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Helen Mirren and Rachel McAdams:

CRANK: HIGH VOLTAGE

Synopsis: In this high-octane sequel, hitman Chev Chelios’ (Statham) launches himself on an electrifying chase through Los Angeles in pursuit of the Chinese mobster who has stolen his nearly indestructible heart.

First thoughts: Yes, I admit I am quite excited to see this sequel, even though it looks a gazillion times crazier and far more brainless than its predecessor. That said, I really enjoyed "Crank" because it delivered fast-paced non-stop silly action. And sometimes, that's exactly what I need (as long as it's entertaining), no matter how over-the-top it is.

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17 AGAIN

Synopsis: Zac Efron and Matthew Perry star in the age-defying comedy 17 Again, in which a magical transformation finds Mike reliving his past in the present day as a 17-year-old in the same high school he attended 20 years ago. But this time around, his own teenage kids are his peers and his wife is the unsuspecting object of his affection.

First thoughts: This is undoubtedly the one I am least looking forward to this week. I've seen the trailer a couple of times now, but most of it just looks incredibly boring. I'll give it a fair shot of course, but something tells me this won't be a hilarious comedy.

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STATE OF PLAY

Synopsis: Handsome, unflappable U.S. Congressman Stephen Collins is the future of his political party: an honorable appointee who serves as the chairman of a committee overseeing defense spending. All eyes are upon the rising star to be his party's contender for the upcoming presidential race. Until his research assistant/mistress is brutally murdered and buried secrets come tumbling out.

First thoughts: I like Kevin Macdonald's work, and the story of "State of Play" sounds pretty intriguing as well. The cast sounds great too, but what really caught my attention are the names of the folks who worked on the screenplay: Tony Gilroy, Billy Ray and Matthew Michael Carnahan. This should be interesting.