Based loosely on a 2013 children’s book by Marla Frazee, Boss Baby has a convoluted plot, but young viewers will be amused by the slapstick humor, the action-packed chase scenes and the sheer ridiculousness of a cute baby barking out commands.

Moves along well until the characters and situations become too ridiculous to be believed.

A stylish but empty spy flick, redeemed only by well-executed action sequences.

Killer Joe is one of the most repugnant parodies of small-town stupidity that you will ever see, and Friedkin amplifies the shrill obscenities with blaring cartoon and kung-fu footage from his art director's fever dreams.

There are a few good jabs at fame, advertising and sexuality along the way. But don't worry, nothing gets too serious in this silly, on-target movie. [15 Apr 1996, p.5D]

Fuqua is a proficient action director, and the boxing scenes deliver plenty of whomp. But the music-saturated scenes involving the media, the law and a turncoat friend played by Curtis (“50 Cent”) Jackson are trying to appeal to fans of “Empire,” not “Raging Bull.”

Blank Check, which was written by Blake Snyder and Colby Carr, directed by Rupert Wainwright and filmed with grace and style by cinematographer Bill Pope, is definitely a guilty pleasure, but more the latter than the former.

Although this Swedish vehicle is thoughtfully engineered and has some vivid streaks of color, it could use a jump start to escape the vanilla ice.

Little more than an old-fashioned melodrama, but for some moviegoers that will be enough.

A family flick that punches the right buttons like a trained seal.

Call it "On the Lakefront." Or "Pretty-Good Fellas."

Taylor-Johnson — who earned high praise for his performance in last year’s “Nocturnal Animals” — is riveting as a guy in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The movie is an eyeful, especially in 3-D, but even with humans at the helms of the machines, it’s a hollow exercise in homage.

With its forked tongue planted loosely in cheek, this haunted-house flick is enjoyably retro in both style and substance.

The ingredients are in place for a potent finale, but “Catching Fire” is watered down.

With its broad strokes, this invitation to an important discussion is hard to ignore, but the blood and honey on the table is an unpalatable mix.

It's not a good film, but viewed from a cockeyed angle, it's a great guilty pleasure, and director Bill Condon is in on the joke.

It’s too cheesy and predictable to be a real miracle, but by Vegas standards, it’s a winner.

IF you loved ''Hairspray,'' you'll probably like ''Cry-Baby.'' John Waters' latest teen-age musical spoof is entertaining. But it lacks some of the satiric edge that made ''Hairspray'' rather outrageous, although it was quite tame compared to some of Waters' earlier movies. [6 Apr 1990, p.3F]

What's finest about Everybody's Fine is to watch a good fella groping hopefully toward old age.

Only a heartfelt performance by Diane Lane rescues the film from abject mediocrity.

L'amour fou means "crazy love," but we don't learn anything crazy about these devoted lovers.

Made in America is at its best when the one-liners are thick and fast, and when comedy rules. There's a lot of staring into space that substitutes for acting when the going gets tougher, and while the ending milks all possible emotion out of an audience, there still is something heartwarming about it. [28 May 1993, p.3E]

THOROUGHLY predictable "inspirational" movies like Rudy are like pop-art rituals. We know almost to the letter what is going to happen, but, if the movie is well made (which "Rudy" is), we experience at least some of the emotional catharsis that would be evoked by a truly original and compelling work of art (which "Rudy" definitely isn't). [15 Oct 1993, p.3E]

It's not quite infectious, but some of the high notes manage to drown out some of the guttural lows.

With his glorified Frisbee and good-guy smile, Evans is engaging, but “The Winter Soldier” might be stronger with a little less Captain and a little more America.

Sometimes brilliantly original, at other times dull and formulaic, Mo' Better Blues is well worth seeing - for jazz and Spike Lee fans, it's a must-see - but it often fails to engage us on a deep emotional level. [03 Aug 1990, p.3F]

Waiting for Superman raises important questions while wearing a big red heart on its chest, but inconvenient facts are its kryptonite.