Opening Friday: Of space rangers and robots

Above : The animated feature “Lightyear” opens Friday. (Photo/Walt Disney Studios)

We’re heading into the full summer-movie season, with lots of exploding vehicles in space and out, and a favorite character from movies past will be featured in theaters this weekend.

That characters is Buzz Lightyear, this time voiced by Chris Evans and featured in the Pixar/Disney release “Lightyear.” A second release, the quirky British import “Brian and Charles.”

“Lightyear” : Based on Pixar/Disney’s popular “Toy Story” franchise, this Angus MacLane-directed animated film centers on Space Ranger Lightyear who – at least in the mind of a young boy – does battle with a legion of robots.

The film is receiving mostly good reviews, the overall reaction maybe best captured by New York Times critic A.O. Scott : “ ‘Lightyear,’ directed by Angus MacLane from a script by Jason Headley, aims to please by pandering, to be good-enough entertainment. As such, it succeeds in a manner more in line with second-tier Disney animation than with top-shelf Pixar.”

Katie Walsh of the Tribune News Service wrote, “ ‘Lightyear’ is more charming than it’s not, and has a potential breakout star in Sox. Just like the Buzz in ‘Toy Story,’ the Buzz in ‘Lightyear’ has a big, beating heart underneath that Space Ranger suit.”

Meanwhile, Stephanie Zacharek of Time.com wrote, “Its plot is so hopelessly, desperately Christopher Nolan–style meta, that it caves in on itself.”

“Brian and Charles” : Battling depression, a lonely Welshman named Brian (David Earl) builds a robot … named Charles (voiced by Chris Hayward).

Michael O’Sullivan of the Washington Post wrote, “Like Charles himself (and maybe Brian, too), it’s an odd hodgepodge of a story: a sweet, eccentric misfit, just waiting for someone to find it, and love it, despite its flaws.”

Tomris Laffly of Variety wrote, “Splitting the difference between ‘Wallace and Gromit’ and ‘Frankenstein,’ Jim Archer’s modest charmer genially honors the human need for meaningful connection.”

That’s it for the moment. So go, see a movie. And enjoy.