Bill Zwecker

Not only does this second movie match the charm, wit, animation skill and intelligent storytelling of the original, I think it even exceeds it.

There are certainly a lot of actors who can match Hill and Tatum as comic actors, but it’s the oddball connection between these two that makes for a very entertaining couple of hours at the movies.

The life lessons about morals and values are soft-pedaled pretty well and packaged in a mostly funny romp as the trio of mothers’ night-on-the-town turns in all sorts of bizarre and wacky ways.

This company of actors pulls together and delivers a lot of punch to a pedestrian script inspired by quite an amazing tale.

With a splashy Brazilian-themed musical score, top-notch voice talent and sharp-witted writing, the sequel to “Rio” is one delightful animated romp. It’s as good as the first one and sure to please both the kiddies and adults with its two-tiered humor.

It’s Pena’s quietly powerful interpretation of Cesar Chavez the man that makes this movie work so well.

The new globetrotting, caper-packed romp with Kermit, Miss Piggy and the rest of the lovable team certainly is just as good as, and often an improvement on, the 2011 offering.

The strength of Burger’s movie is the fact that a non-reader of Roth’s work can enjoy Divergent and not be confused by any aspect of the storyline.

The best parts of Need for Speed are the actual racing and chasing sequences — a true thrill ride for the audience as the story unfolds.

This lame tale just falls completely flat.

This is a must-see for anyone who loves theater, acting and especially individuals like Elaine Stritch unafraid to bare their souls — so all of us can gain more insight into the complicated essence of the human condition.

The visuals are spectacular, the 3D technology is artfully used and the storyline is jam-packed with so many funny lines, it’s hard to catch all the jokes that are delivered in rapid-fire succession.

While the animation is quite good and the filmmakers have brought together an excellent group of actors to provide the voice talent, the storyline leaves us with a tale more reminiscent of Saturday morning kids’ programming.

Director Steven Frears deserves special mention. A lesser filmmaker could so easily have turned this project into mushy, sentimental junk. The tear-jerking moments here are heartfelt and real. It’s the kind of filmmaking we see too little of today.

This well-crafted picture is a lovely work of true art, enhanced by terrific animated sequences illustrating Jerry Lee’s love of drawing cartoons and Frank’s ability to concoct tales of the brothers as heroic figures.

While the overall concept of the script is pretty creative and original, at several points along the way the storyline gets a bit muddled.

Bad Grandpa obviously is not for everyone, but Johnny Knoxville and “Jackass” fans will eat it up.

This Carrie comes off like a Lifetime film, adding little new and nothing substantial to improve on DePalma’s classic.

Unlike so many sequels, this fun-filled 3D adventure is sure to entertain younger kids but also charm the adults who will be accompanying them to the multiplexes.

The actors do their best. The problem here is simply a formulaic screenplay and less-than-inspired direction.

Red 2 not only delivers the action, laughs and thrills of the original — in many ways it surpasses it.

Co-writers/directors Faxon and Rast have created a little gem of a film. Without question, The Way Way Back is the best coming-of-age movie of the summer and should be seen by audiences of all ages.

Anyone interested in the appeal of cults and the psychological lure of a charismatic leader will appreciate The Source Family.

Marling has crafted a nicely taut, suspenseful cinematic journey into the world of corporate espionage.

While Peeples follows a very predictable course as a romantic comedy and does not break any ground in that genre of filmmaking, this movie is more engaging than you might expect.