On paper, a high-concept blend of Groundhog Day and Starship Troopers sounds like a recipe for disaster. In practice, critics say Edge of Tomorrow is a thoroughly entertaining sci-fi action flick with a sharp sense of humor and muscular acting from Tom Cruise. With the planet under attack from alien invaders, Major William Cage (Cruise) is sent into battle — and killed instantly. However, he finds himself in a time loop, reliving the same battle scenario and gradually discovering how to defeat the enemy. The pundits say the Certified Fresh Edge of Tomorrow is a rare beast — it’s a pulpy, visceral shoot-em-up that’s also intelligent and character-driven. (Check out this week’s Total Recall, in which we count down Cruise’s best-reviewed movies.)
When a beloved bestseller is adapted to the big screen, there’s inevitably some trepidation within the book’s fan base. After all, doesn’t Hollywood always screw up what made the book so special? Thankfully, critics say The Fault In Our Stars does John Green’s novel proud, thanks to a fine performance by Shailene Woodley and a script that that (mostly) avoids cliches on the way to its heart-tugging conclusion. Woodley stars as Hazel, a tough-minded teenager with thyroid cancer who reluctantly joins a cancer support group. There, she meets a sweet cancer survivor named Gus (Ansel Elgort), and the two bond over a love of literature. The pundits say The Fault In Our Stars occasionally veers into schmaltzy territory, but it’s crafted with an earnestness and sensitivity that’s tough to resist. (Check out our video interview with Woodley and Elgort, and flip through our gallery of contemporary books that have been adapted into films.)