My Favorite Films of 2013

My favorite films of 2013:

The Wolf of Wall Street - Scorsese, DiCaprio team up again in a mesmerizing, real-life tribute to excess. A must-see.
American Hustle - David O. Russell does it again, bringing together a superb cast and story together.
Inside Llewyn Davis - The Coen brothers musical, sort of. Has my favorite song of the year, "Please Mr. Kennedy."
Blackfish - The year's most powerful doc, your views of Seaworld will forever change.
Nebraska - The year's best character driven drama from Alexander Payne. Bruce Dern and June Squibb shine in touching roles.
Gravity - Sandra Bullock is excellent in Alfonso Cuaron's sensational, riveting space drama. My favorite film of 2013.
Captain Phillips - Tom Hanks is back in a super intense real life drama from Paul Greengrass. The final moments are truly harrowing, and Hanks' final minutes should earn him another Oscar nom.
12 Years a Slave - The year's most intense, well-acted movie. Difficult to sit through, but a must-see.
Blue Jasmine - Cate Blanchett gives one of the year's best performances as one of Woody Allen's most unlikable characters.
Twenty Feet From Stardom - The year's most uplifting, fascinating documentary, a tribute to backup singers.

Honorable Mention

Elysium - The summer's best action film starring Matt Damon.
Fruitvale Station - Powerful, well-acted true life drama starring newcomer Michael B. Jordan.
Short Term 12 - One of the year's best indie films starring another newcomer, Brie Larson.
All is Lost - Redford is superb in one of the year's most unconventional films. Silence is golden.
Philomena - Judi Dench will be nominated once again in this bittersweet drama.
Saving Mr. Banks - Hanks and Emma Thompson are excellent in this sentimental story of the making of Mary Poppins.
The Spectacular Now - Dark, touching and superbly acted, the year's best teen drama.

The Worst Films of 2013

The Worst Films of 2013

A Madea Christmas - Madea is back for her worst film yet, along with Larry the Cable Guy.
Grown Ups 2 - Adam Sandler sequel. Need we say more?
Movie 43 - What a horrible, horrible waste of many talented actors. The biggest mess of the year.
Scary Movie 5 - Um, no thank you. Not at all.
After Earth - Will and Jaden couldn't save this awful tribute to Scientology.
The Lone Ranger - How do you waste $200 million? Watch this movie to find out.
The Hangover Part III - Did we really need another? No. The worst by far of the three in this series.
Getaway - Selena Gomez and Ethan Hawke in the year's worst action film.
R.I.P.D. - Another summer stinkeroo, with a super annoying Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds.
Paranoia - Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman went down in flames in this uber-flop.

Not the worst, but the Biggest Disappointments:

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty - I was expecting so much more from Ben Stiller. Love Kristen Wiig though.
Man of Steel - The first half of this was great. Then it turned into "Superman" versus "Transformers" and it fell apart. And went on and on much too long.
Grudge Match - Considering the talent, including Stallone and DeNiro (phoning in another take-the-money-and-run performance), not to mention Alan Arkin and Kim Basinger, it's a huge disappointment.
The Great Gatsby - Sure, the film was a big hit. The visuals were stunning, the empty story disappointing.
Oz: The Great and Powerful -  This lackluster, grating prequel to "The Wizard of Oz" featured shoddy special effects, a smirking James Franco and an annoying talking monkey.

The Most Overrated Films of the Year

These films are also not bad per se, but not worthy of all the excessive critical praise heaped on them.

The Place Beyond the Pines - The handsome Ryan Gosling continues to be one of cinema's most intriguing actors, but this heavy-handed, overlong drama was uneven, slow and sluggish. As least the section with Gosling was the best part of the film.
Prisoners - This drama starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal was well-acted and stirring, but also slow-moving and epically overlong (2 hours, 33 minutes) for a crime drama. It also misused one of my favorite actresses, Viola Davis.
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues - I may get some flak for this one, as it has many fans from the 2004 film. Will Ferrell is a talented, often funny comedian, but the problem is that excessive stupidity is truly funny for about 5 minutes, better suited for a sketch (or in commercials) than a 115-minute movie. Its 74% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes is genuinely baffling.
Lee Daniels' The Butler - The movie is mildly entertaining and well-acted, especially by Forest Whitaker, but it has many more flaws, including weak plotting, overacting by Oprah and a gallery of distracting cameos by actors who look nothing like the historical figures they're supposed to represent (except for Jane Fonda, memorable as Nancy Reagan). Baffling is the number of SAG Award nominations it received.

Saving Mr. Banks - B+

Rated PG-13, 120 minutes

Touching "Saving Mr. Banks" will be one of your favorite things this holiday season

Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson

Poignant and superbly acted by two brilliant, Oscar-winning actors, "Saving Mr. Banks," the story behind the making of the classic Disney film "Mary Poppins," is one of the year's best films. P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson) goes to Hollywood to assist with the making of the musical "Mary Poppins" based on her series of books, she struggles with the upbeat adaptation helmed by Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) as she thinks back on her rough childhood and her father (Colin Farrell) who was the inspiration for the story's patriarch, Mr. Banks. Directed by John Lee Hancock ("The Blind Side") and written by Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith, "Saving Mr. Banks" is a stirring, affecting look at the story behind a Disney classic film, grounded by two winning, Oscar-worthy performances from Hanks and particularly from Thompson as Travers. Hancock smoothly blends the flashbacks with the current day story, though it's far more effective as a behind-the-scenes tale, which have the most entertaining scenes. Paul Giamatti, B.J. Novak ("The Office"), Jason Schwartzman ("Moonrise Kingdom") and Bradley Whitford ("The West Wing") all contribute strong supporting turns as Travers chauffer, the songwriting duo The Sherman Brothers and screenwriter Don DaGradi, all of whose jobs were not made easy by the persnickety, opinionated Travers. Though you have a sense of where the film is going, especially if you know how the hit film "Mary Poppins" turned out, "Saving Mr. Banks" is very touching, with the Thompson-Hanks chemistry the most memorable part of the film; there are a couple of scenes near the end of the film that only underscore this, particularly Hanks' final monologue to convince the need to turn over the rights to the film, and Thompson's emotional outpouring while watching the completed film. Just as Travers and her Mary Poppins were an escape from a particularly sad, rough upbringing, "Saving Mr. Banks" is a fascinating, often wonderful escape to another world. Stay over the credits to hear the real Travers on tape as she bosses the Disney crew around.

Wes's Grade: B+

The Wolf of Wall Street - A-

Rated R, 179 minutes

Mesmerizing, overlong "Wolf of Wall Street" is Scorsese and DiCaprio's tribute to excess

Jonah Hill and Leonardo DiCaprio

It's hardly ironic that acclaimed, award-winning film director Martin Scorsese and his current muse, Leonardo DiCaprio, would make a three-hour film about Wall Street excess and debauchery. It's also to Scorsese's credit as a remarkable filmmaker that his three-hour epic film "The Wolf of Wall Street" (based on a true story) is rarely dull, darkly funny and vastly entertaining. DiCaprio is real-life Wall Street investor Jordan Belfort, who becomes an overnight success and starts his own company with Donnie (Jonah Hill), selling penny stocks to unwitting investors. Belfort lives, plays and works to excess, with a gorgeous wife (Australian actress Margot Robbie), a mansion, yacht, lots of drugs not to mention a FBI agent (Kyle Chandler) hot on his trail, ready to convict Belfort for his schemes. Based on Belfort's biography of the same name and written by "Boardwalk Empire's" Terence Winter, Scorsese's charming Wall Street is a spellbound, well-acted tale from the opening moments, full of so much sex, drugs and revelry that it puts Gordon Gekko to shame. "Wolf" isn't a film for everyone, but only Scorsese could get away with showing this much gluttony and so well that you think you're a part of it yourself (full female nudity and scores of cocaine lines fill the movie). DiCaprio commands the screen so powerfully and expertly, it's easy to see why Scorsese casts him so often The supporting cast is just as good: Matthew McConaughey makes a sublime but very brief appearance in the first act, and watch for Rob Reiner as DiCaprio's father, Jon Favreau as his lawyer and Jean Dujardin as a corrupt Swiss banker. Hill is also quite good as DiCaprio's portly business partner in crime, giving Hill, otherwise known for immature, low-brow comedies, his best role to date. Scorsese's three-hour film about excess and wild times is hardly surprising but also unnecessary, becoming so redundant by the time it gets to its second act that you have a sense that there's nowhere for Belfort to go but down. The entertaining "The Wolf of Wall Street" is full of dark, amusing moments and Scorsese's frenetic style, pacing and editing (from his usual, award-winning film editor Thelma Schoonmaker) fits the film perfectly. Yes, it's long and we get the point early on, but you won't look away, either. A must-see for Scorsese and DiCaprio fans.

Wes's Grade: A-

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty - C+

Rated PG, 125 minutes

Kristen Wiig and Ben Stiller

Enjoyable new version of "Mitty" a mixed bag

There's nothing really wrong with the likable, peppy new version of "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," directed by and starring Ben Stiller and loosely based on James Thurber's 1939 short story and the 1947 Danny Kaye film, except that it's bland and unmemorable. When Walter Mitty's (Stiller) job at Life Magazine along with that of his co-worker Cheryl (Kristen Wiig, lovely) are threatened, Walter takes action in the real world embarking on a global journey to find a missing picture that will be used for the magazine's final print issue. "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" is a pleasant but unfocused film with a few fun moments and a great cast, including Stiller, whose schlubby Mitty you want to hug. Yet this uneven "Mitty" loses its way midway through, and you never get a strong sense of what Mitty is trying to accomplish as he episodically goes from one adventure to another or when he daydreams of a better life, taking a trek across the world to discover who he really is. Sure, it's a worthy dream, but the script by Steve Conrad (B"The Pursuit of Happyness") lacks a strong emotional core, even if it uses the Bowie song "Major Tom" very wistfully. Wiig is a lovely addition given very little to do, as does Oscar-winners Sean Penn and Shirley MacLaine, respectively, but it's nice to see "Park and Recreation's" Adam Scott as a weirdly bearded bad guy. I liked this version of "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" and it's filled with many pleasant moments, but it's mostly just good and not great.

Wes's Grade: C+

Justin Bieber's Believe - C

Rated PG-13, 92 minutes

Bieber's good, but bland "Believe" doc is for his fans only

Justin Bieber

All I wanted for Christmas is another Justin Bieber concert documentary, said absolutely no one, except for maybe his die-hard fans. "Believe" is the flavorless follow-up and sequel to his 2011 hit concert documentary, "Never Say Never" and again stars the popular pop singer in his element, directed by Jon Chu, who successfully helmed that first documentary. His large following will enjoy this bland limited-time offering from Bieber, which combines more concert music with behind-the-scenes footage, which supposedly gives insight into Bieber's personal life, as well as extensive interviews with the singer and his parents, his manager Scooter Braun and colleague Usher. For the rest of us over the age of 15 and unfazed by all the Bieber fever, this is seemingly excruciating, but it's not all unwatchable. Bieber is admittedly a talented musician, and the concert scenes are especially impressive and pop with energy, but the rest of it provides little more than a Tiger Beat-style depth and approach to Bieber. See him write music! See him cry! See him get dressed for his concert! Blah. For Bieber's next film, I would wait at least 5 years to see where he is in his twenties. It'll be revealing to see if he's still around at all. Bieber's popular fan base already has enough to "Believe" in him, and this will just give them more to scream about. For Bieber fans only.

Wes's Grade: C

Grudge Match - C

Rated PG-13, 113 minutes

A fine cast goes down for the count in predictable "Grudge Match"

Sylvester Stallone and Robert DeNiro

It's "Rocky" versus "Raging Bull" in the new comedy that's as old and tired as its two stars. Two retired Pittsburgh boxers (Sylvester Stallone and Robert DeNiro) settle a long-standing beef and hope to settle some debts by heading back into the ring one more time. Admittedly, there are a handful of few fun moments, mostly sarcastic one-liners, in the lazy "Grudge Match" but it grows redundant and weary by the end. Directed by Peter Segal ("Get Smart") this must have seemed much funnier in premise than what actually appears on screen, as many of the jokes may be lost on younger viewers unfamiliar with "Rocky" or "Raging Bull." The immensely likeable cast, including Stallone, DeNiro, not to mention comedian Kevin Hart, Kim Basinger and Alan Arkin are mostly wasted; Basinger seems lost, Arkin is his usually cranky self while the overrated Hart just mostly screams his lines. You have a sense of where this is going faster than you can countdown from 10, but there are a few entertaining moments as Stallone and DeNiro trade barbs inside and outside the ring (and honestly, these guys really are much too old for something like this, even in comedic form). The mildly enjoyable but forgettable "Grudge Match" could've been much better, and the ubiquitous DeNiro in particular seems to phone it in, but it's worth a look for a couple of laughs.

Wes's Grade: C

Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas - D-

Rated PG-13, 105 minutes

Perry's unfunny "Madea Christmas" lacks joy

Kathy Najimy, Larry the Cable Guy and Tyler Perry as Madea

It's not a good sign when you have Larry the Cable Guy and Madea in the same movie, both mugging for the camera incessantly while throwing one-liners. Tyler Perry's Madea is back in "A Madea Christmas," lacking joy, humor or any semblance of a good script.
Madea gets coaxed into helping her niece Eileen (Anna Marie Horsford) pay her daughter (Tika Sumpter) a surprise visit in the country for Christmas, but the biggest surprise is what they'll find when they arrive. New secrets are revealed and old relationships are tested while Madea dishes her own brand of Christmas Spirit to all. Directed, produced, written by and starring uber-force Perry, it provides his usual broad sense of over-the-top humor while spouting some good messages of family, love and friendship along the way. It's nothing new and still not very good (technically speaking, Perry is a sloppy, lazy film director and it shows in the finished product), and Perry's Madea, as usual, stomps off with the movie, but it will still appeal to his audiences. "A Madea Christmas" is really a string of episodes strung together, none of which you'll remember, though the utterly charming Madea gets in a few fun moments (his telling of an "R&B Nativity" to a group of kids midway is mildly amusing). Kathy Najimy, Horsford, along with Chad Michael Murray, Alicia Witt, and even Lisa Whelchel get in the act too, but overall "A Madea Christmas" is one of his least satisfying efforts, which is saying something (or maybe not) considering the quality of his Madea films. Joy to the world this isn't, though the film's soundtrack may be worth checking out instead of the movie.

Wes's Grade: D-

47 Ronin - C-

Rated PG-13, 127 minutes

Handsome, action-packed "47 Ronin" underwhelms

Keanu Reeves

The long-awaited, fantastical take on the legend of Japanese samurai, "47 Ronin" starring Keanu Reeves, is a handsomely mounted production peppered with some decent fight scenes but hampered by a muddled, tepid story and acting, particularly another wooden performance from its star. The outcast Kai (Keanu Reeves), illegitimate son of a British sailor and a Japanese peasant woman, joins a group of Ronin, led by Kuranosuke Oishi (Hiroyuki Sanada), who seeks vengeance on Lord Kira (Tadanobo Asano), a ruthless man who killed their master and banished the group. The Ronin embark on a journey with challenges that would defeat most warriors. A mildly entertaining but underwhelming, tepid take on a Japanese legend, "47 Ronin" is a Christmas-time disappointment that will likely be Universal's biggest flop in sometime, throwing some $200 million in a film that first started principal photography in early 2011. Directed by Carl Erik Rinsch ("The Gift") and co-written by Chris Morgan and Hossein Amini, it was delayed to finish updates to add 3D (it's also playing in 2D) along with some reshoots, though neither really helps the film. The CG visuals, photography and colorful costumes are handsome and some of the fight scenes are serviceably entertaining, but otherwise it has little going for it, adding some giants creatures and witches (Oscar nominee Rinko Kikuchi, the most memorable of the cast) to make up for the thin storyline and Reeves, who gives his worst performance in ages as the half-breed samurai, making it even more difficult to buy into this. "47 Ronin" is a bit of a mess, but it could be fun in the right moment, though it will be difficult to turn a profit off such a huge budget. This one is a rental, and you might not have to wait too long to do so.

Wes's Grade: C-

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom - C+

Rated PG-13, 139 minutes

Idris Elba as Nelson Mandela

Well-acted "Mandela: Walk to Freedom" overlong, overly ambitious

The well-acted new drama "Mandela: Walk to Freedom" comes at an unfortunate time, following the recent death of South African leader and pioneer Nelson Mandela. It has a lot to live up to, and in spite of its strong performances and inspiring message, it tries to fit in as much as possible, becoming a Cliff's Notes version of the renowned leader's life. "Mandela: Walk to Freedom" is based on Mandela's 1994 autobiography of the same name, and spans a considerable amount of time, from Mandela's (played by British actor Idris Elba of the recent "Thor" films) childhood to early adult to prison time to South Africa's first black President, focusing on his rise to power and his marriage to Winnie ("Skyfall's" Naomie Harris). Directed by Justin Chadwick ("The Other Boleyn Girl") and written by William Nicholson ("Gladiator"), the film has big shoes to fill but suffers from a scattershot script that skims the surface of its larger-than-life source; it would've been more effective as a mini-series or focused on one aspect of Mandela's life, particularly his prison time that so shaped his views as a leader. As a result, there's a significant disconnect as Mandela transitions from violence to non-violence with little explanation why (it would've been nice to see the film explore his relationship with his jailer on a deeper level). The chief highlight of "Walk to Freedom" is the excellent, believable turns from from Elba, Golden Globe-nominated for his performance here, and the lovely Harris as his radiant but strong-willed wife Winnie. "Mandela: Walk to Freedom" squeezes in too much in its overlong running time, though it really wouldn't take much for us to see the courage in someone like Mandela, who struggled for the freedom of many. Mandela was a great man, but this disappointing film doesn't do him or his ideals justice.

Wes's Grade: C+

Out of the Furnace - C+

Rated R, 106 minutes

"Out of the Furnace" a slow, downbeat but well-acted tale of redemption

Christian Bale

The well-acted new drama "Out of the Furnace" has a superb cast, director and story though the depressing story doesn't live to the talent involved. Russell Baze (Christian Bale) has a rough life: he works a dead-end blue collar job at the local steel mill by day, and cares for his terminally ill father by night. When Russell's brother Rodney (Casey Affleck) returns home from serving time in Iraq, he gets lured into one of the most ruthless crime rings in the Northeast and mysteriously disappears. Directed and co-written by "Crazy Heart's" Scott Cooper,  it's a low-key, downbeat film peppered with a few powerfully strong moments, though overall it's an unsatisfying look at someone trying to redeem himself. Bale gives another believable turn and grounds the film well; he and Woody Harrelson, playing a terrific, slimeball villain, have some good moments together. The rest of the A-list cast, however, is largely underutilized. Affleck is good, but Zoe Saldana, Forest Whitaker, Willem Dafoe and Sam Shepherd have little to do in their fleeting moments on screen (particularly Whitaker, in a bafflingly small part). The second act in particular drags before it picks up again in its final, violent act. "Out of the Furnace" is a well-acted but uninvolving tale that lacks a strong narrative to have a huge impact. This one is definitely a rental.

Wes's  Grade:  C+

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues - C

Rated PG-13, 119 minutes

Stupidity reigns supreme in overlong "Anchorman 2"

Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy

Will Ferrell is a brilliantly funny comedian, but his comedic talents are wasted in the exceedingly tiresome, plodding comedy "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues," a sequel to the 2004 cult hit "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. Peppered with some of Ferrell's typically funny chortles, it could've easily been condensed to a 5 minute sketch and accomplished much more. The 1970s are over and San Diego newsman Ron Burgundy (Ferrell) and his team have hit rock bottom until a 24-hour news channel is being developed and his team is recruited for it. Directed by Ferrell's go-to comedy director, Adam McKay, produced by Judd Apatow and co-written by Ferrell and McKay, "Anchorman 2" is a needless sequel in which the silliness keeps on going and going and going. On that note, it's a comedy of excess and mainly for fans of the original film, whose cast, including David Koechner, Steve Carrell, Christina Applegate and Paul Rudd, return for this outing as well. It's to Ferrell's credit that his promotion of the film through the recent Dodge Durango commercials have helped that car brand's sales, and Ferrell is funny in them, they're also only a minute or less. "Anchorman 2" channels its stupidity often and there are admittedly some funny moments, but they're scattershot and strung together, going on much longer for what it is. Fans of Ferrell and the original film will get a kick out of it, for the rest of us, to quote Burgundy himself from the film, "as a wise man once said: so."

Wes's Grade: C

American Hustle - A-

Rated R, 129 minutes

Jennifer Lawrence

"American Hustle" an entertaining, wild ride of who's conning who

The vastly entertaining "American Hustle" is a chic, contemporary version of the "The Sting" with some real events as its backdrop. Slick, fun and playful, it's superbly acted and directed. The movie is a fictionalized (or as the producers of the movie call it, "fictionalization") of the ABSCAM scandal o of the late 1970s, it tells the story of brilliant con man Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale), who along with his equally cunning and seductive partner Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) is forced to work for a wild FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper) while keeping Irving's unstable wife (Jennifer Lawrence) at bay. Directed and co-written by "Silver Linings Playbook" and "The Fighter's" David O. Russell, "American Hustle" is a smart, engaging crime drama that's most memorable for its brilliant, Oscar-worthy performances and characters.  With lots of feathery hair, plunging dresses and wide collars, it expertly evokes the feel of the 1970s like a shiny disco ball, and much like "The Sting," you have to watch carefully until the end to see exactly who's getting their con on. Russell's direction and writing is sharp and crisp, bringing to life the characters of this sordid tale, which is the chief reason to see the movie. Bale, in another method-y but layered turn as the plump, corrupt Irving (the film's opening scene is quite revealing), is at his best here and grounds the film superbly. Adams, as his soulmate in crime, gives one of her most believable turns yet, while Cooper is smooth and talky as the curly-haired FBI agent who may be in over his head. Oscar-winner Lawrence is most memorable: she's sensationally funny, charming and sad as the wife who can't keep her mouth shut; sure, it's the script's most showy role but Lawrence grabs it with tremendous appeal. Though it starts off a tad slow, character driven movies are rarely this fun (not to mention full of kitschy, familiar '70s tunes you'll hum along with), and Russell delivers another masterfully entertaining film in "American Hustle" with more winning performances at the forefront. One of the best movies of 2013, put this one your must-see list before the awards start pouring in.

Wes's Grade: A-

Inside Llewyn Davis - A-

Rated R, 105 minutes

Moody, funny "Inside Llewyn Davis" one of Coen Bros best

Oscar Isaac

The Coen brothers new film "Inside Llewyn Davis" is one of the year's best films, an masterful, moody and darkly funny look at the early 1960's New York City folks scene. The film follows a week in the life of young aspiring folk singer Llewyn Davis (the wonderful Oscar Isaac in a breakout performance) as he navigates the Greenwich Village folk scene of 1961. Guitar in tow and huddled against the unforgiving New York winter, Llewyn struggling as a musician against seemingly insurmountable obstacles-some of them of his own making. Loosely plotted, superbly acted and featuring some lively folk tunes, some old and some new from the Coen's and T. Bone Burnett (my favorite, which is already garnering accolades, sung by Isaac, Justin Timberlake and "Girls" Adam Driver is the peppy, short "Please Mr. Kennedy") which memorably highlight the film. Directed, written, edited and produced by the Coen's, it's one of their most insightful, masterful and affecting films of recent memory, with a standout performance from Guatemalan-born actor and singer Isaac, seen in last year's "Won't Back Down." With Timberlake, Driver, along with Carey Mulligan, John Goodman and a cat named Ulysses all in small roles, Isaac is well-supported in a film that's darker than it appears on the surface, though its grayness and darker shadings ultimately becomes part of its appeal. The moody "Inside Llewyn Davis," loosely inspired by the music of real NYC-based folks singers Dave Van Ronk and Ramblin' Jack Elliot, it's a superbly crafted film with a sheen of engaging pecularity and oddness that the Coen's do best, and it's a must-see film that's certain to win some awards.

Wes's Grade: A-

Walking with Dinosaurs - C+

Rated PG, 80 minutes

Educational "Walking with Dinosaurs" lovely to look at, offers little else

One of the dinosaurs in "Walking with Dinosaurs"

Meet dinosaurs more real than you've ever seen as you take off on a thrilling prehistoric adventure, where Patchi (Justin Long), with the help of prehistoric bird and story narrator Alex (John Leguizamo) an underdog dinosaur, triumphs against all odds to become a hero for the ages. "Walking with Dinosaurs" is produced by BBC Earth (this is based on its 1999 TV miniseries of the name) and is part educational, part narrative and a mixed bag. As an educational film for young children, it works best, as it stops to introduce all the prehistoric creatures each time a new one appears on screen. The film was shot by BBC Earth and director John Nightingale on location in Alaska and New Zealand, with the CG creatures added in later. The locals are lovely to look at and the dinosaurs very detailed, but there's not much else to keep the kids (and their parents), and even at 80 minutes, much of it seems like filler.  Also, it's odd that voices of the animals are voice-overs instead of moving along with the mouths of the creatures; even more odd some creatures "talk" while most do not at all. "Walking with Dinosaurs" is peppered with fun moments and educational for the young set, but outside of that there's little to offer a mainstream audience.

Wes's Grade: C+

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - B+

Rated PG-13, 161 minutes

Impressive visuals the highlight the richly entertaining "Desolation of Smaug"

Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins

Well, first things first. The second entry in the latest round of "The Lord of the Ring" films, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," is better than 2012's "The Hobbit." With a leaner narrative, more efficient pacing and more sublime visuals, "Smaug" has more to offer than the slow-moving "Hobbit." This film continues the adventure of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellan) and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, battling a deadly, fire-breathing dragon named Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) in the process. Peter Jackson and company once more bring to life Tolkien's novel, and while the experience is usually a dense, lengthy one, "The Desolation of Smaug" underscores Jackson's expert ability to tell a story. Tolkien fans almost always get the most out of these films, and that is the case here, but "Smaug" is far more transparent and fun even for non-Tolkien fans (myself included, many of the characters names and locals are a blur), with a last act that is by far more rewarding than nearly any of the "LOTR" films. Unsurprisingly, the film is a first-rate technical achievement, featuring an Oscar-worthy score, photography and visuals, with the Orcs and the spiders the standouts of a film loaded with them; of course, the most sublime visual is the enormous, talking and fire-breathing dragon known as Smaug, who makes his long-awaited entrance nearly two-thirds of the way through. It helps that Smaug is voiced by a terrific character actor in Benedict Cumberbatch (seen as the villainous Khan in the latest "Star Trek" film), who memorably infuses Smaug with a silky yet baritone evil you won't easily forget. A nice addition to the cast is "Lost's" Evangeline Lilly, as the toughest female elf in Middle Earth, well-paired with returning cast members Orlando Bloom (as Legolas) and Ian McKellan's Gandalf, in a smaller role here. "Smaug" is a tad slow-going in the first act taking considerable time to get to the best parts of the film, but that last act won't disappoint, even with an ending that is a literal cliff-hanger as it flies off into the next and final chapter of this film series. "The Desolation of Smaug" is vastly entertaining, a great escape, and a must-see action fantasy film for "Lord of the Rings" fans and non-fans alike.

Wes's Grade: B+

Narco Cultura - B

Rated R, 103 minutes
In English and Spanish with English subtitles

Gripping, violent doc "Narco Cultura" shows how influential crime can be

Musicians in "Narco Cultura"

The fascinating new documentary "Narco Cultura" shows the growing impact of crime, in particular from drug traffickers on both sides the border, upon our pop culture, and how it's been romanticized and stylized through music and film, especially in Mexico. To a growing number of Mexicans and Latinos in the Americas, narco-traffickers have become iconic outlaws, glorified by musicians who praise their new models of fame and success. The film shows how they represent a pathway out of the ghetto, nurturing a new American dream fueled by an addiction to money, drugs, and violence. Disturbingly powerful yet relevant, "Narco Cultura" doesn't provide much answers but does show why the narco culture is so popular, in giving people hope for power and money. Directed and written by war photographer Saul Schwartz in his debut documentary film, the narco culture is similar to the impact of rap, hip hop and violent video games in the U.S.; the violence and bloodshed is abhorrent but it doesn't stop entertainers from profiting from it. The film alternates between showing the realities of drug trafficking with those profiting from it in the Mexican-American entertainment industries, glorifying it's romantic side of wealth and power. "Narco Cultura" doesn't hide the guns, the violence, the bodies, the drugs or the money (not to mention many grieving families); remarkably, people in this culture realize these dangers even with all the success it may bring them. It's difficult but often mesmerizing to watch, and on that note it's outlook is rather depressing in that it provides little solutions except to let it die out in pop culture as people see the dangers of the lifestyle. "Narco Culture" isn't an uplifting film but it is an affecting, thought-provoking look at a culture that is unfortunately a way out for many.

Wes's Grade: B