The Spectacular Now - B+

Rated R, 95 minutes

Ponsoldt's "Spectacular Now" a dark, superbly-acted teen drama

Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller

"The Spectacular Now" is a stellar, authentic teen drama, and one of the best this genre has seen since 2012's "The Perks of Being a Wildflower." An intelligent, low-key drama from James Ponsoldt (of last year cruelly underrated drama "Smashed"), it's sly, darkly shaded and a must-see for two breakout performances from its leads. "The Spectacular Now" is the tale of Sutter Keely (Miles Teller), a high school senior and effortless charmer, and of how he unexpectedly falls in love with "the good girl" Aimee Finecky (Shailene Woodley). Ponsoldt's adept, satisfying "The Spectacular Now" is the year's best teen drama, though channeling a darker side of teen life. Treading some similar ground as last year's superb "Smashed" (the star of that film, the lovely Mary Elizabeth Winstead, also appears here memorably in a supporting role). In another strong turn, the naturally beautiful Woodley (of "The Descendants," for which she should've been Oscar-nominated for) shows she more than just a pretty face as the shy but smart girl who falls for the boy seemingly wrong for her; she brings a depth to the role that is evident from the first frame her character knows more than she lets on. Along with Woodley, "The Spectacular Now" will be known for the superb, breakout turn from newcomer Miles Teller in a complex, difficult role that's beautifully played. Teller, up to now playing the Spiccoli types in films like "21 & Over," "Footloose" and "Project X," is a revelation as the boy whose charm masks his own path to self-destruction. As fully realized as Teller's performance is, some of the darker themes aren't as fully developed by Ponsoldt's script, particularly the main character's drinking problem, though we certainly know that it's genetic (as his divorced, estranged parents, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Kyle Chandler both are also excellent) and its too-pat ending on the upbeat "coming-of-agey" side. Even with some minor flaws, "The Spectacular Now" is a worthy, affecting and smart teen drama that adults should relate to as well.

Wes's Grade: B+

Planes - B-

Rated PG, 92 minutes

Flying in familiar territory, "Planes" is still silly fun

Disney's "Planes"

"Planes" isn't anything groundbreaking in terms of animation or storytelling, but it is predictable, silly fun for the young set and only has us longing for the next great Pixar film. A spin-off set in the world of Pixar's "Cars," "Planes" may not soar in terms of originality but its charm carries it through its more calculated moments. Dusty Crophopper (Dane Cook) is a small-town cropdusting plane with dreams of competing as a high-flying air racer, but must overcome his lack of racing skills and fear of heights. Dusty's courage is really put to the test when he competes in the big race with help from his friends. From Walt Disney's DisneyToon pictures and directed by Disney employee Klay Hall, the energetic, entertaining "Planes" is best for young kids though it seems second-rate comparatively speaking. It lacks the wit and originality of a true Pixar effort, though Pixar's John Lasseter, the man responsible for "Cars," is executive producer and is given story credit here. Some his clever Pixar-ian touches are evident, especially if you pay close attention to the background landscapes (hint: they're all planes) and there are some colorful moments in this journey along with a peppy score by Mark Mancina, who scored some of the songs from Disney's mega-hit "The Lion King." The voice cast seemingly has a good time, with serviceable work from Cook and veteran Stacey Keach as the leads, though second-tier actors and comedians Cedric the Entertainer, Brad Garrett, Gabriel Iglesias, Sinbad, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus all contribute some amusing moments as well; even Brent Musburger as his "Cars" doppleganger Brent Mustangburger is cute too. "Planes" is lightweight but silly, late-summer clean fun for the young set, and should be a modest hit (and a sequel is already planned), though it could've easily gone its originally-planned straight-to-DVD route and done just as well.

Wes's Grade: B-

We're the Millers - C

Rated R, 110 minutes

Mildly funny but forgettable "Millers" a little too doob-ious

Emma Roberts, Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis

The modestly entertaining, dumb new comedy "We're the Millers" is as slapdash and about as satisfying as that sloppy joint you have stashed away. It's fun at the time but you won't remember much later. Small-time pot dealer David Burke (Jason Sudeikis) is jumped by thugs and loses his cash and stash. To wipe the slate clean with his greedy supplier (Ed Helms), he packs a fake family (Jennifer Aniston, Emma Roberts and Will Poulter) to Mexico to smuggle some of the weed back across the border. Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber ("Dodgeball: An Underdog Story") and written by the guys behind such comedies as "Wedding Crashers" and "Hot Tub Machine" (Bob Fisher, Steve Faber and Sean Anders, respectively), "We're the Millers" is a sloppy but charming comedy that's less about the drugs than its smuggle home. Admittedly, there are some genuinely amusing moments, including a spider bite you won't soon forget, but much of it seems tame and episodically strung along. The lack of any substantial plotting and characterization are thrown out the window quicker than you can say "narc" but the cast tries. Sudeikis and Aniston are both blandly charming (Aniston, as a stripper, gets to show off her still rockin'-hot bod), but Roberts and Poulter, as their unlikely fake kids, a homeless girl and the nerd, have more to offer in terms of comedy, especially Poulter, whose character seems the most sincere and actually changes by film's end. And as two uptight travelers with a knack of impeccable timing, comics Kathryn Hahn and Nick Offerman nearly steal the show (their near-amorous moments with Sudeikis and Aniston a highlight). The mildly amusing but forgettable "We're the Millers," filled with a truck load of weed and peppered with a few low-brow fun moments, should be a modest hit for those that enjoy this type of thing. Think of it as a contemporary version of National Lampoon's "Vacation," with lots of pot and a fake family. Stay over for the credits for the bloopers, the funniest part of the movie.

Wes's Grade: C

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters - C

Rated PG, 105 minutes

Logan Lerman as Percy Jackson

Fun "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters" all CG and no magic

Those looking for a magical adventure about a teenage boy trying to fulfill his destiny should...reread the Harry Potter books. "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters," the big screen sequel to "Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief" is a mildly entertaining but weak mish-mash of stuff that was probably much more fun in Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson" novel series upon which this is loosely based. In this outing, Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman), the son of Poseidon, continues his epic journey to fulfill his destiny, as he teams with his demigod friends (Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario, Levin Rambin and Douglas Smith) to retrieve the Golden Fleece, which has the power to save their home and training ground, Camp Half-Blood. Directed by Thor Freudenthal ("Diary of a Wimpy Kid") with a screenplay by Marvel and DC Comic writer Mark Guggenheim ("The Green Lantern"), "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters" a jumbled attempt to bring Riordan's novels to life, though it plays like a junior-league Harry Potter. The producers of the film haven't figured out that the real magic lies in the story, not the overload of CG visuals that they seem to bombard the audience with, though there are a handful of nifty special effects, such as the Sea of Monsters, which resembles a much deadlier Bermuda Triangle. Though Lerman (seen to better effect in last year's "The Perks of Being a Wildflower") is a charming, pleasant Percy, the film lacks a strong emotional core, a deliciously evil villain (as the primary antagonist, Jake Abel is one of the most milquetoast bad guys seen in some time) and some real magic to make this truly effective. There is one nifty, all-too brief cameo from Nathan Fillion as Hermes, who provides our hero with some clever resources to get himself out of a jam. The overload of CG, particularly in an action-packed climax, puts the film at arms length from its audience, giving "Sea of Monsters" a fake sheen that would make the gods unahppy. The young set may still get a kick out of it and help to make a modest hit the first one was (not to mention huge overseas grosses, the only reason for this sequel). Modestly entertaining, somewhat odd and oddly charming, "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters" has a handful of sublime visuals but its weak storytelling drags it down to ocean depths. Much like the first one, this could've been much better with a stronger script and direction.

Wes's Grade: C

Crystal Fairy - B-

Unrated, 98 minutes

Charming Cera the high-light of drug comedy "Crystal Fairy"

Gaby Hoffman and Michael Cera

Ever since "Arrested Development" and "Superbad," Michael Cera has made a career of playing nebbish, amusing characters that would make Woody Allen proud, and he continues this character in the lighthearted, unpretentious new drug comedy "Crystal Fairy" that's meandering fun. Cera (seen recently in "The is the End") stars is Jamie, a shaggy, boorish young American traveling through Chile. While searching for a rare hallucinogen-the famed San Pedro cactus-with a trio of Chilean brothers, Jamie invites a mysterious hippie (Gaby Hoffmann) along for the ride, but her free-spirited personality quickly clashes with his self-absorption, taking some surprising turns along their journey. Directed and written by Chilean director Sebastian Silva ("The Maid") and featuring three of the director's real-life brothers playing against Cera, it's a remarkably warm, if not thin and exaggerated, comedy about the joys of discovering yourself through hallucinogenic drugs. Admittedly, the plot is simple, rambling and often redundant, but then that may be the joy of the movie along with seeing the charming, shaggy-haired Cera in his unusual journey; Cera and the Silva brothers also have a genuine, natural interplay. Much of "Crystal Fairy," which was supposedly written as an outline and mostly improvised by the actors, has a nomadic charm. Though not for everyone, those who see it will feel good afterwards.

Wes's Grade:  B-

Only God Forgives - C

Ryan Gosling

Rated R, 90 minutes

"Only God Forgives" a plodding, unsatisfying crime thriller

"Only God Forgives" is the new crime drama and follow up from "Drive" director Nicolas Winding Refn and his "Drive" star Ryan Gosling. As with "Drive," Refn gets points for style and acting but a sluggish, uneven narrative drags the film down. Julian (Gosling), a respected figure in the criminal underworld of Bangkok, runs a Thai boxing club and smuggling ring with his brother. His brother is suddenly murdered and their crime lord matriarch, Crystal (Kristin Scott Thomas) arrives from London to bring back the body. When Crystal forces Julian to settle the score with his brother's killers, Julian finds himself in the ultimate showdown. Heavily stylized and well-acted, "Only God Forgives" ultimately disappoints from an unsatisfying script from Refn; the story is intriguing but exceedingly plodding, something that also plagued "Drive." Refn is an interesting director with an obvious fascination for brutal violence, which is peppered throughout the film. As the sword-wielding bad guy Chang, who believes himself to be "God" thus the title for the film, unknown Asian actor Vithaya Pansringarm is chilling, and Oscar-nominated actress Scott Thomas is also memorable as Gosling's overly honest, blowsy mother with control issues. "Only God Forgives" is a polarizing film, some may enjoy its dark, somewhat hypnotic red-infused style, while others think the dull storyline hampers the film (I fall into the latter), with a deeply unsettling but unsatisfying ending. Refn is certainly a director to watch with Tarantino-esque potential, but the flawed "Only God Forgives" seems to lay the groundwork for something better.

Wes's Grade: C

2 Guns - B

Rated R, 109 minutes

Entertaining "2 Guns" is a familiar, over-the-top shoot-em-up

Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg

 "2 Guns" is a calculated, preposterous and messy action crime thriller that works in spite of itself. Why is it so enjoyable? Mainly because of the fun chemistry between two A-list movie stars in Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg and a great supporting cast. An elaborate scam has a DEA agent (Washington) and an NCIS agent (Wahlberg) investigating one another in belief that they are stealing money from the mob. But when they realize that they were set up by the CIA, they must work together to return the money and stay alive. An exciting late summer entry, "2 Guns" is directed by Baltasar Kormakur (director Wahlberg's "Contraband") and written by Blake Masters of the Showtime TV series "Brotherhood." The muddled, familiar script plays similar to other Washington or Wahlberg films; if you've seen Washington in "Man on Fire," "Out of Time" or last year's "Safe House," or Wahlberg in "Contraband" or "The Departed" then this won't be exactly revelatory stuff. Yet it's the interplay, and not the story which is most memorable here, including some amusing (albeit violent) exchanges between the two talented actors with one chase/fight scene mid film involving the two the most fun. "2 Guns" has some action-packed moments, along with one of the better supporting casts of recent memory. Watch for Edward James Olmos as a dangerous drug kingpin and Bill Paxton, having terrific fun as a truly evil CIA operative, not to mention James Marsden as a baddie and the lovely Paula Patton as Washington's love interest. Highly implausible, over-the-top and preposterously plotted is the serviceable but rarely dull "2 Guns." Filled with blood, bullets and lots of explosions, it's nothing new, but that shouldn't stop Washington and Wahlberg's fans from turning out, who won't be disappointed.

Wes's Grade: B