Bruce Ingram

The Smurfs 2 probably isn’t any worse than you might expect. On the other hand, it’s almost certainly not any better. It’s just a matter of figuring out how much punishment you’re willing to endure for the sake of the small child you’re taking to the movies.

The intimacy of debut writer-director Ryan Coogler’s approach to the film and the no-frills, believably real quality of the main performances combine to drive the senselessness of Oscar’s killing home with visceral impact.

[A] thoroughly detailed (though a bit long) doc that charts the band’s thwarted expectations.

I’m So Excited! is random, episodic and essentially meaningless, but it’s also a hoot. And if that’s all you’re looking for, you might as well get it from the master.

[A] remarkably tepid sequel to the surprise 2010 hit.

There’s not too much sentiment, but not too little, either. Just enough to make you feel misty-eyed in a way that doesn’t necessarily indicate incipient glaucoma.