There shouldn’t be that much of a distinction when it comes to what makes a movie good and what makes a movie entertaining, because, usually (especially when it comes to bigger-budgeted American movies), those involved in its making are usually only striving for the latter. As far as what makes a movie entertaining, well…that’s something else entirely, but when it comes to what makes a movie good, that’s usually chalked up to complex characters, an interesting and original story, and comprehensible direction. However, even a movie with recognizable archetypes, an old story with some new twists, and some slick direction and effects can make an audience see something that’s not quite that fresh in a new light. And while that may sound a little harsh, Real Steel understands what makes its audience happy, and makes no apologies about using this knowledge to be one of the most entertaining movies of the year.

While the premise is basically Rocky-with-robots, more specifically, Real Steel follows former boxing underdog Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman), as he attempts to keep himself afloat in the new robotic boxing underworld while being saddled with his estranged son, Max (Dakota Goyo), for the summer. While the larger picture finds Charlie, Max, and Atom (an old sparring robot that inadvertently saves Max’s life while they’re looking for spare parts at the junkyard) as they find themselves going up against the World Robot Fighting champion, the heart of the movie comes from the developing relationship between Max and Charlie as they slowly form a bond around the sport, eventually coming to treat each other like family, instead of strangers. No one’s going to argue that there’s much of anything here that hasn’t been done a hundred times before, but there’s a sincerity to Real Steel that allows it to, despite all of the big robots and special effects, not come off as just another empty, pretty-looking mess.

Now, that’s not to say Real Steel is perfect. However, aside from some fairly cheesy dialogue and plot developments, and the head-shakingly awful and unnecessary robot dancing, there’s surprisingly little here to complain about. Director Shawn Levy, who’s used to this kind of material after having taken on other family-friendly material like the Night at the Museum movies, as well as The Pink Panther and Cheaper By the Dozen remakes, surprisingly doesn’t replicate his formula here. He inexplicably avoids nut shots, chuckling animals, and incompetent adult humor in favor of using his characters to build relationships and back-stories, and developing these enough to play them for laughs, and, sometimes, even for daring to make the audience feel something. Now, while very few tears will be shed during screenings of Real Steel, there aren’t very many movies I’ve seen before in theaters that made audiences act the way they did at the screening of Real Steel I was present at. People were getting out of their seats cheering at the action on screen, many treating it as if it were a real sporting event, rooting for the good guys to win, and applauding when the bad guys got theirs in the end.

There’s often an argument over whether or not movies, especially the more mainstream and corporately funded ones like this, can ever achieve the privilege of being considered art. Sometimes, though, this doesn’t seem to be the goal. Real Steel is not art, nor does it strive to be. It’s simply a good time at the movies, with characters and a story that make for something that, while not incredible, is remarkable enough to make you forget about your troubles for a few hours, and simply believe that good things can happen, even if it’s only in a make-believe world. Sure, there will always be those who need their mass media to speak to them on a higher, more personal level, but, for my money, Real Steel and its message say far more to me than many so-called “art” films have in a pretty long time.

8 out of 10.

Pretty awesome.  Almost great actually.  The ending gets a little too strung-out and weak, but a supremely solid movie.  It’s not fancy amazing revolutionary blow your mind.  It’s a good story and interesting concept I couldn’t wait to see resolved.  Word up to that.  Unfortunately it’s got those stupid quick zooms like THE OFFICE or whatever else movie/show thinks that’s a good idea (mumblecore).  So that’s a detractor, but hey.  Some of the shots/direction are great.  Like I said, storytelling and acting carry this one.

By damn did I like this movie.

Oh yeah.  SHEA WHIGHAM IS AMAZING ALWAYS.

With a title like Machine Gun Preacher, this, the latest faith-based inspirational movie to come out this year, doesn’t seem like it would be a realistic biopic of a man’s struggle with his faith and the world that surrounds him, but more about a renegade priest who’s kicking ass for the lord, all Crank-style. You know, more ultra-violence and head explosions than fists shaking towards heaven in anger and confusion. However, as it turns out, while retaining just a little of that ridiculous, over-the-top action, Machine Gun Preacher is a different kind of biopic, where the hero isn’t always very heroic, and his mission is far more blood-soaked than is probably necessary.

Director Marc Forster, coming off of the most recent Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, takes the story of Sam Childers (Gerard Butler), a former biker and drug addict, and retells the last few years of it with an almost disorienting break-neck speed and surprisingly graphic violence and honesty. Within the first half-hour of the movie alone, we see Sam (and this is no exaggeration) get out of jail, shoot up some heroin, rob a drug dealer, stab a hitchhiker a couple dozen times, find God, build a church, survive a tornado, travel to Africa, and hold a dying, legless child in his arms as he pleads with God. It’s kind of insane. And while the movie somewhat calms down from there, Childers himself never quite slows down on his quest to basically save every African child that is in need of saving. While the story and subject here are fairly epic, there’s no denying that this is Gerard Butler’s show every step of the way. Despite being surrounded by other decent actors with fairly substantial roles, such as Michael Shannon and Michelle Monaghan as his friend and wife, respectively, and Souleymance Sy Savane as a soldier who helps him on his quest, Butler never really stops to let any of them have a chance to overshadow him and his almost frightening intensity.

However, it’s this intensity and the character behind it that make Machine Gun Preacher different from many of those movies out there that promise a similar spirituality and positive role model. Childers starts out like any other missionary, with a positive attitude and a willingness to help those who are less fortunate, but after spending too much time on the other side of the world, becomes far less passive and God-fearing, trading that in for a more action-oriented attitude. The filmmakers make no excuses or apologies for their protagonist’s actions, showing him flat-out murder dozens of Sudanese soldiers to prevent the kidnapping of more children, and follow him as his alienates his family, friends and congregation as he grows more and more disillusioned with his fellow Americans and their carefree lifestyle in light of his discoveries abroad. It’s one thing to see someone come to this kind of epiphany, but it’s quite another to see them react and change to this epiphany in such a drastic way as we see Childers do here. And while it may contain a few too many moments of over-hyping its subject, and it may attempt to cover too many conflicts Childers has to face, including a couple racially driven attacks on his work that never seem to go anywhere, most of Machine Gun Preacher’s flaws can be forgiven if only for the fact that it’s pretty entertaining, and never really slows down enough to linger on anything for more than a few minutes at a time.

Now, that’s not to say that Machine Gun Preacher is the most focused movie out there, often jumping from one country to another, never really paying any mind to how much time has passed, and over-simplifying a lot of the background story of what’s going on with Childer’s family, and in Sudan as well. But as one watches Machine Gun Preacher, it stays so action-packed and intense that it never really seems to matter until the very end, when the whole thing comes to an abrupt stop. No, it’s not a perfect movie, but Machine Gun Preacher does a good enough job telling this story of one man’s extraordinary life with enough graphic violence and disturbing intensity, that it’s hard not to recommend it.

7 out of 10.