The Sunday Drive: 5/8/11

3. The Beaver
The Beaver doesn't just mark the return of Mel Gibson to his old form, but also re-establishes Jodie Foster as a director to contend with. Blending dark humor with sometimes extraordinarily depressing lows couldn't have been easy, but Foster balances these tones perfectly. Foster also stars as the wife of Gibson's character, a husband and toy company CEO who begins talking through a ratty old puppet in order to cope with his severe depression. Is The Beaver enough to make people forgive and forget Gibson's recent past? It shouldn't matter. Let the man's work stand for itself.
2. Fast Five
The biggest and best Fast and the Furious yet is taken to a whole new level thanks to a leaner script, more intense action, and adrenaline fueled debut of Dwayne Johnson into the mix.

1. Thor
Lean, mean, and ready to kick the summer season into the next gear, Thor hammers all challengers with supreme wit and eye-glazing special effects. Kenneth Branagh channels his theatre background in an unlikely direction, aided by a wealth of fantastic performances, most notably by Chris Hemsworth as the god of thunder himself, and Tom Hiddleston as his devious brother, Loki.

DVD Pick of the Week: The Dilemma
Ron Howard may have been itching to get back to his comedy roots, but he made an odd choice in The Dilemma. On the surface, the combination of Vince Vaughn and Kevin James seems like a perfectly good starting point for another big R-rated laugher, but what this film turns out to be a startling look at the pitfalls of marriage and loyalty amongst friends. When Ronny(Vaughn) discovers that Nick's(James) wife is cheating on him with a younger man(Channing Tatum), Ronny must figure out whether to spill the beans or stop from ruining his buddy's life. As Ronny is slowly eaten up by indecision, it has a disastrous effect on his own relationship with his longtime girlfriend(Jennifer Connelly). Temper your comedic expectations and you'll find an insightful, poignant, occasionally dark film that may just surprise you.