Serenity is a peculiar, niche production with minimal mainstream appeal. It will find its greatest favor with those who value oddball movies that take chances (regardless of whether they work or don’t).

Unfortunately, the material doesn't justify the talent. These women deserve more than Calendar Girls ultimately gives them.

On the whole, The Expendables 2 is more satisfying than "The Expendables."

It’s a promising debut for Kenrick behind the camera and Zovatto is excellent in front of it but it’s hard to shake the incomplete feeling that accompanies a viewing.

Superficiality is The Kid Who Would Be King’s greatest weakness. It skims along the surface, always taking the obvious path, never courting interesting possibilities, and trumpeting trite messages about friendship, truth, and belief in self.

If you go to Eight Legged Freaks expecting anything but a campy, cheesy romp, then you have wandered into the wrong theater. This movie is for those who like smart (often self-referential) humor and cheap thrills.

A Walk in the Woods is surprisingly funny at times but, like many comedies, it runs out of steam about halfway through.

There are times when Troy is stirring and engaging. However, at least as often, it is flat.

It's the kind of film that will resonate only with a tiny fraction of the available audience. Unless a viewer's age and situation mirrors that of Posey's Nora Wilder, odds are that this movie will generate a sense of déjà vu.

If not for the contrived resolution, this might have been one of the better little thrillers to emerge from the pandemic. Instead, it feels a little disappointing, if only for the unlikely “twist” applied during the closing moments.

The best I can say is that I was never bored, although I was never overwhelmed, either. There are enough small things to keep it interesting even when many of the big things fail.

It’s an okay movie if all you want is an everyman dad doing superhero-ish things while getting beaten up along the way, but it’s neither as wildly entertaining nor as exhilarating as its predecessor.

While there is some appeal in exploring how these characters might navigate the Depression and the approach of the Second World War, such arcs could never be properly developed within the confines of a feature film. The Grand Finale should be what its title promises: an elegant farewell.

The result, regardless of how it was arrived at, is gutless.

This is yet another chapter in “When Smart Movies Turn Dumb.”

The problem is that writer/director Paul Feig became too enamored with his storyline which, at best, could be described as a lame James Bond parody.

This combination of storytelling, singing, and corny comedy is sometimes a little too slow and long-winded for its own good, but at least the aftertaste isn't bitter.

The movie's musical sequences, which primarily feature popularized versions of gospel standards, are exhilarating and energetic. Unfortunately, that's only half the story, because the so-called dramatic material, which links together all the musical numbers, is mind-numbingly bad.

Those who want something substantial in their cinematic diet may recoil from what A Working Man offers. But for anyone whose primary concern is to see the righteous slaughter of bad guys at the hands of the noble Statham, A Working Man doesn’t disappoint.

Pussycat is classic Meyer. The three leads are all topheavy, the action-packed plot is paper-thin, there are loads of double-entendres amidst the cheesy dialogue, and the style is pure low-budget. This is fun stuff, to be sure, but definitely of the "guilty pleasure" sort.

The final half-hour contains enough contrivances and holes to challenge even the most generous movie-goer's suspension of disbelief.

When the characters in Footloose are dancing and the music is blaring, the film comes alive. It has energy and personality. Would that the same could be said about the dramatic scenes, which are hamstrung by a combination of mediocre acting and atrocious dialogue.

Petersen ratchets the tension up to a level where the viewer is likely to forget the imbecilic plot contrivances that have gotten the situation to this point, and just enjoy the action and adventure.

The result is an action-oriented survival tale, not unlike the kind of movie that Stallone or Schwarzenegger might have made back in the '80s.

This movie is a vast improvement over the tired and uninspired "American Pie 2," although it fails to make it to the lofty perch occupied by the first film.

One problem with Repo Men is that there's not enough material to sustain a 111-minute motion picture.

The movie isn't entirely successful as a romance or as an adventure, which makes the experience of watching it feel shallow and hollow, sort of like the stars and the plot.

Technically, it's superbly made; dramatically, it fails to achieve escape velocity.

A little youth is injected via "Slumdog Millionaire's" Dev Patel and Tena Desae, but they are supporting players. Still, as one might expect from a group of actors in this age range, the performances are impeccable. Experience does count.

Won't win points for originality, but the screenplay includes some snappy dialogue, smart observations, and an uplifting message about the importance of friendship.

The movie's anti-climatic resolution in concert with the holes left by the occasionally untidy script result in The Lookout not living up to its promise. Compared to some of Frank's past projects, this is a tepid offering.

One problem is that none of the characters are interesting and the situation is clichéd.

The film is by no means perfect and its goals are undermined by a sloppy climax and conclusion but it avoids preaching while providing fodder for thought.

Dumb, juvenile comedy has its place when it's funny. Unfortunately, too often in Get Hard, it's not.

Ultimately, Bad Education must be considered to be a minor effort from a major director.

Rarely does The Man with the Golden Gun take anything seriously. Mary Goodnight is as clumsy as they come. Pepper and Nick Nack are cartoonish. There are more jokes-per-minute than in any other Bond film. Even John Barry's score is less earnest than usual, and the opening song is ridiculous.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot has surprisingly dull fangs.

Although this features high wattage stars, it represents a curiously anachronistic attempt at escapist fare.

Immaculate is at times unsettling and the ending contains a strong shock element but the movie as a whole feels a little too familiar to engage its audience.

It is fair to argue that, at least in the case of Rampart, Woody Harrelson is better than the material in which he appears.

The fourth movie is in many ways better than it has a right to be and it’s certainly a worthy way to dispose of a couple of hours lying on the couch at home, but this is hardly a triumphant return for Axel or Murphy.

As a movie, The Hoax isn't a fraud but it's not the real deal, either.

It's an adequate superhero yarn, but, hopefully, it's not the best of the burgeoning genre that 2003 has to offer.

Whannell fails to address how easily the power of invisibility can be foiled in today’s world where anyone can buy cheap (less than $200) infrared goggles for overnight delivery.

This is a lackluster film that exists exclusively because its predecessor made money.

There are those who will see this as a silly fantasy, but they have either missed or chosen not to feel the magic woven by The Sandlot. Predictable as the movie is, the Field of Dreams quality is not the only thing to like about The Sandlot.

The film is worth seeing for the humor and for its high level of energy, but it falls short of being the "complete package." It's probably a better pick for home viewing than a trip to a theater.

There's nothing especially wrong with Nim's Island, but there's not a lot right about it either.

A fair amount of the film, especially Downey's solo sequences, appears to have been improvised, and this lends an air of unpredictability to the proceedings.

The Saint is more of a character-based thriller than a strict stunts-and-explosions film, which is a good thing because the action sequences are mostly flat and obligatory. Even when he generates a degree of tension, director Phillip Noyce (Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger) is unable to sustain it, and the disappointing ending is not only long and drawn out, but lacks a sense of closure.

As a chance for Isaac to re-familiarize viewers with his serious side after spending three films in a galaxy far, far away, it’s effective. But as a character study, it’s flawed and as a narrative, it’s erratic. There are too few high cards in the movie’s deck for it to be considered a winning hand.

Sasquatch Sunset is sufficiently different that it’s almost worth seeing for that reason alone. Alas, I don’t think it sufficiently rises above the gimmick of its premise to provide a compelling reason to spend 90 minutes in a movie theater.

Go to this movie for the cheap laughs and bodily fluid jokes -- those are its strengths.

Too often, Boynton Beach Club feels like a made-for-TV movie with a little sex, nudity, and profanity thrown in to spice things up.

The action sequences were often nail-biters, the lead characters were well-developed, and the dialogue was intelligent.

By playing it safe, One Last Thing offers tearful interludes but not a lot more.

Like fruitcake, movies like this are ubiquitous at this time of the year but rarely are they devoured with great relish or enthusiasm.

The concept of expanding the John Wick “world” by adding a worthy female counterpoint isn’t an inherently bad idea. The flaw is in the execution.

The images in The Good Lie have the power to disturb but lack the gut-punch impact necessary to give us an immediate and lasting connection to the protagonists.

A rather mediocre experience, offering sporadic laughs but never achieving the level of consistent humor necessary to make this memorable.

Once Batman v Superman hits its stride, most viewers will feel equal parts pummeled and immersed. Snyder is a master of the dark spectacle and he pours it on starting around the movie’s midpoint.... Still, although viewers may be riveted at times, the net experience isn’t much fun.

There are good reasons to see Tully. Theron’s performance is high on the list, as is that of Mackenzie Davis. The first 30 minutes are uncommonly good, which may be why the spike of disappointment is so acute when the film fails to maintain that level for its entire length.

Baumbach is 45 (roughly the same age as Josh) so he writes from personal experience. He knows what these characters are feeling which is the reason why the human elements resonate with authenticity - a quality that fades when While We're Young wanders off on the tangent about what constitutes a legitimate documentary.

It's solidly entertaining for what it is and, while it does little to truly rejuvenate the franchise, at least it lessens the pain caused by two gimmicky cross-over pictures that sucked too much juice out of what was one of the 1980s' most surprisingly tense sci-fi action pictures.

By sticking so close to the look and feel of the source material, The Super Mario Bros Movie comes across as something more desirous of being played than watched. I could see this adventure being great fun if approached with game controller in hand. Sitting in a movie theater, however, I found myself wanting more, as if I was only getting part of the experience.

This is a Beauty & the Beast romance between Nicole Kidman and Chewbacca.

For all its faults, Gracie is made with enough grace to get us rooting for the protagonist.

Almodovar's central parody is strong enough to save this film from floundering too much or too often. It's daring and nasty, but rarely brilliant.

As a vehicle for examining the conflict between religion and artistic freedom, Sirens is shallow, and scenes concentrating on this issue dampen some of the lighthearted fun. Sometimes, it's better not to try for too much substance with such an earthy basic premise.

If you're tired of routine, "feel good", Hollywood fare and are looking for something a little Tarantino-ish and a lot unusual, Feeling Minnesota will leave you feeling pleasantly surprised.

The story, which retains an element of corny appeal, is hamstrung by a too-long running length that tries the viewer’s patience.

The movie’s narrative twists are neither surprising nor interesting and the emotional weight of the story and characters is feather-light. It is, however, engaging in a disposable fashion, offering occasionally entertaining instances (such as the aforementioned Tarantino homage) and an animation style that seems less plastic than many of today’s generic offerings.

By incorporating a strong Jamaican flavor and infusing the mix with reggae and dance, Elba provides something more interesting than the standard tale of gang warfare and drug deals that forms Yardie’s skeleton. However, although these unique elements form an effective distraction, their ability to captivate wears thin, exposing the threadbare, overfamiliar story that struggles mightily to keep viewers engaged.

Armageddon is a testosterone and adrenaline cocktail, with almost no intelligence added for flavoring.

Heaven's tone is all wrong. The movie tries to be ethereal, but ends up seeming goofy.

Somewhere buried in the structurally unsound and unevenly paced Red Joan, there exists the material for not only one but two intriguing motion pictures. Unfortunately, neither manages to struggle to the surface and we’re left with a mediocre mash-up of an old-fashioned spy movie and the story of a son coping with the sins of his mother.

Mockingjay Part 1, released a year ago, was a disjointed, incomplete affair and, although Mockingjay Part 2 is more polished, the pace is uneven and there’s a sense that the series has hung around too long.

Predictable this isn't, but that can be seen as both an asset and a detriment.

Blue Bayou channels plenty of anger and passion and the narrative lynchpin is sufficiently compelling (despite a tendency toward melodramatic manipulation) but Chon’s capabilities as a writer don’t match those as a director and an actor.

In fact, there are times when this movie feels like the latest installment in the over-milked Home Alone saga.

What's sad is that Elizabethtown contains two GREAT sequences.

The interaction between the three teenagers is well executed and plausible, despite the almost complete lack of a back story for any of them.

The film’s biggest problem is its uneven pacing.

A few months from now, no one will remember it, but Homefront isn't made for the long-haul. It's assembled simply for the 100 minutes when the viewer is in theater and, on a certain level, that's sufficient.

Attempts at wit and humor seem half-hearted at best. Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy isn’t a terrible movie; it’s mediocre at worst. But it never should have been made.

This is another movie where politics trump the narrative.

Bad Times at the El Royale has problems beyond its inability to stick the ending but that’s the one that ultimately sinks it.

It's a sincere-yet-uninspired diversion, and not even two strong performances can elevate it to a higher level.

It's openly silly and, by almost every traditional critical standard, it falls a little short of the mark. Nevertheless, I enjoyed Bride of Chucky enough to place it on my ever-growing list of "guilty pleasures," and I recommend it to those who enjoy horror films (although probably not to anyone else). The movie laughs at itself, and I laughed along with it.

Cronos is more concerned with ideas and atmosphere than people.

It's not the best of modern fairy tales but it's sincere and Christina Ricci's earnest and vulnerable performance touches the heart. Penelope is flawed but not irredeemably so.

Carnage suffers from a common problem that afflicts many stage-to-screen adaptations: too much artifice and contrivance.

“Dumbing down” was coined for productions like this: big, splashy, testosterone-fueled monstrosities whose sole purpose is to give a studio box office bragging rights for a few weeks.

The chief problem with Seberg, as is often the case with biopics, is that the filmmakers never really find the character underlying the historical figure.

In all fairness to the film, it is superior to the disappointing second movie in the series. The comedy is about as low-brow as it can get (at least without treading into R-rated territory).

There's nothing terribly wrong with Baby Mama but it's probably better suited for viewing on television, where many of the participants cut their teeth. This is small screen stuff masquerading as something bigger.

H20 is the second-best entry into the series, and, although it's nowhere close to the level established by Carpenter's classic, it avoids the excesses that ruin many would-be horror movies.

For the movie’s first half, director Neil Jordan does a reasonably good job of it. Then, unfortunately, he falls victim to the most dreaded of horror movie clichés: supposedly smart characters doing irredeemably dumb things.