Weekend Movie Trailers & Reviews: 'Amazing Spider-Man' Swings Into Theaters

If you're one of the lucky ones who happens to be in 100-degree heat this weekend, the movie theater is probably sounding very enticing right now. Who could pass up the opportunity to sit in an air-conditioned theater for a couple of hours to escape the heat? That just leaves one decision: which movie to see. Read on for trailers and reviews of this weekend's big openers.

"The Amazing Spider-Man"

Rated PG-13, 2 hrs 17 mins

Things got a little weird after Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy wrapped up. There was talk of a "Spider-Man 4," but what we got instead was a reboot that started just a few years after the original series ended. That makes "The Amazing Spider-Man" a bit redundant in terms of plot, as we're watching much of the same story that we saw in "Spider-Man."

The main difference (other than Gwen Stacy in place of Mary Jane and The Lizard instead of the Green Goblin) is in tone. "The Amazing Spider-Man" is a post-"Batman Begins" superhero movie, which means by default that it has to be dark and gritty. Indeed, "Amazing" is darker and grittier than previous Spidey installments.

That's not necessarily a good thing, though: most of the gripes from critics (aside from "we've seen this before") are about a lack of fun or joy in this movie. Spider-Man is a wisecracking, colorful superhero, and not one who is prone to brooding in the way Batman does, so the tone isn't exactly right for the character.

Still, critics are giving "The Amazing Spider-Man" some praise, as the movie stands at about 72% on Rotten Tomatoes. That's far less than the first two "Spider-Man" movies from Raimi (which earned 89% and 93%), but more than "Spider-Man 3," which landed at 63%.

See it if: You like your Spidey with a side of angst.

"Savages"

Rated R, 2 hrs 9 mins

Directed by Oliver Stone, "Savages" centers on a trio of marijuana growers in California (played by Taylor Kitsch, Aaron Johnson and Blake Lively) who run into trouble when members of the Mexican Cartel (Salma Hayek and Benicio Del Toro) demand that they start working for them. The themes of drugs and violence are perfect for Stone, who wrote "Scarface" and wrote/directed "Wall Street" and "Platoon," to name a couple.

Critics seem to be torn on this one, simultaneously praising Stone for his return to form while chastising him for making a movie that is messy and a bit challenging to audiences. Positive reviews stand at about 53% on Rotten Tomatoes currently.

See it if: You miss the good ol' days with the drug-centered bloodbaths of movies like "Scarface."

"Katy Perry: Part of Me"

Rated PG, 1 hr 37 mins

Concert movies have been cropping up left and right lately, what with the use of 3D making them a little more immersive. Michael Jackson, Justin Bieber and "Glee" have all done theirs, so it was only a matter of time before Katy Perry made one as well.

"Part of Me" combines Perry's dazzlingly elaborate stage show with backstage footage and, yes, some glimpses into her personal life and her divorce from Russell Brand. Critics have been mostly kind thus far, as its RT rating stands at 75%. While it tends to play a bit like a long commercial for Perry and her image, Perry is likeable and a hard enough worker that it's tough not to root for her.

See it if: There's a joke here about double D's in 3D, but I'll just leave that alone.