Peace, Love & Misunderstanding - C

Rated R, 96 minutes

Fonda's fun in "Peace," but rest of it rings false

The only reason to give the mediocre, labored new dramedy "Peace, Love & Misunderstanding" a chance is to see screen legend Jane Fonda as a scene-stealing hippie. Though Fonda wasn't a hippie in real life, the 74-year old Oscar-winner revels in donning a long gray wig and plenty of flowery clothes, yet too bad this movie isn't as memorable. Directed by "Driving Miss Daisy's" Bruce Beresford, the film centers on Diane (Catherine Keener), an uptight New York City lawyer whose life unravels when her husband (Kyle Maclachan) asks for a divorce. She takes her teen son (newcomer Nat Wolff, charming) and her college student daughter (the ubiquitous Elizabeth Olsen) to visit their estranged hippie grandmother (Fonda) still living in Woodstock who hasn't quite grown up. Considering the talent involved, the formulaic  "Peace, Love, & Misunderstanding" is a disappointment: a choppy, predictable and forced film that's intent on quickly pairing everyone off romantically in the first act. The film's central premise is the biggest contrivance: why would an uptight lawyer going through a divorce take her kids to see her mother with whom she hasn't spoken to in 20 years? Though most of this rings false, the film does have its charming moments as Keener and Fonda are a serviceable mother-daughter screen pairing, and Fonda in particular seems to have fun parading around in the flowery dresses, smoking pot and spouting irrelevant '60s wisdom; though the wig and excessive tie-dye make for hippie overload, she hasn't enjoyed herself on screen this much in years. Outside of Fonda, Nickelodeon star Wolff is also charming as a boy who equally enjoys both girls and making movies, while Olsen and (the usually bland) Chace Crawford's romance is mostly annoying. Given how much fun Fonda has, I wish "Peace, Love & Misunderstanding" was a better movie, but it's a remarkably weak and forgettable effort.

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted - B-

Rated PG, 85 minutes

Splashy "Madagascar" is more of the same broad, silly gags for kids

I have to admit, I laughed more at "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" than I care to admit, and I'm just a little out of the target demographic for the film. Colorful and forgettable, silly fun, "Madagascar 3" is indeed for the kiddoes, and keep that in mind when you see it, though adults might enjoy it too. Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the Zebra (Chris Rock), Gloria the Hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith), and Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer) are still fighting to get home to their beloved Big Apple and of course, King Julien (Sacha Baron Cohen), Maurice (Cedric the Entertainer) and the Penguins are all along for the comedic adventure. Their journey takes them through Europe where they find the perfect cover: a traveling circus, which they reinvent - Madagascar style. The third entry in this popular animated series, "Madagascar 3" is nothing new or ambitious in terms of story-telling or animation, but it fulfills its purpose just fine: to provide a quick, enjoyable movie for the younger set and time-filler for parents. That's not a bad thing, and you've seen it before, this time rehashed for a European version; this gang (all of whom, especially Rock, seem to enjoy themselves) could easily fill more films by traveling to exotic locales across the globe. Directed by Eric Darnell, who helmed the previous versions, this installment adds some nice 3D touches and some snazzy circus stunts to keep the kids engaged not to mention a few new voices, including Martin Short, Bryan Cranston, Jessica Chastain and Oscar-winner Frances McDormand. Though chunks of its humor is still off-kilter and often mean-spirited (darn those pesky penguins), which will certainly fly over the heads of the younger ones, "Madagascar 3" is still decent, often amusing and splashy family-entertainment.

Moonrise Kingdom - B

Rated PG-13, 95 minutes

"Moonrise Kingdom" is the latest winsome Anderson quirkfest

I've always been a big fan of Wes Anderson, and not just because he's also a Wes from Texas who happens to be my same age. His films have a certain, eccentric look and feel to them, and his latest quirkfest, "Moonrise Kingdom" is no different and it's an enjoyable portrait of an eccentric early 1960s childhood. It's 1965, and two young pre-teen lovers Sam and Suzy (newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward, in their feature debuts) flee their New England town to be together, prompting a local sheriff (Bruce Willis), Suzy's parents (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand) and Sam's scout master (Edward Norton) to form search parties to locate them. "Moonrise Kingdom" is an enjoyable look at the oddities of growing up, parents and the things we must face in becoming adults and another unconventional look at human life from Texas director and writer Anderson. He's assembled one of his most eclectic casts in Willis, Murray, McDormand, Norton in addition to Oscar-winner Tilda Swinton, Harvey Keitel and Anderson regulars Jason Schwartzman and Bob Balaban, though the most memorable performances come from the young leads in their first movie, especially Gilman as the orphaned Sam. Some of the characters seem like filler (especially Swinton, Keitel and Schwartzman) not to mention the slight story is one of Anderson's weaker efforts. But like most of Anderson's efforts, you're drawn to the unconventional look and feel of the movie, which in this case captures the early 1960s very well. "Moonrise Kingdom" isn't Anderson's best effort but it's definitely an emotionally rich if not odd look, at childhood.

The Intouchables - B+

Rated R, 112 minutes
In French with English subtitles

"The Intouchables" is a well-acted, uplifting gem about unlikely friendships

"The Intouchables" is an uplifting, irreverent and superbly acted new French dramedy based on a true story that's one of the best foreign films released in the U.S. in 2012 (along with "My Way"). "The Intouchables," already one of the highest-grossing foreign films ever and a huge hit in France, it's about a handicap millionaire named Phillippe (Francois Cluzet), a tetraplegic who is in need of a new caretaker and hires an ex-con named Driss (Omar Sy) off the street. The two forge an unlikely friendship and help each other in remarkable ways as they get to know each other. Touching and inspiring, it and calculated down the stretch, but it's an immensely enjoyable time at the movies. The chief highlight is the chemistry and the excellent performances from the leads, Dustin Hoffman lookalike Cluzet, and particularly from Sy, a French comedian who gives one of the year's more memorable performances (he just beat out Oscar-winner Jean Dujardin for this year's Cesar Award, the French equivalent of the Oscars) as the street-wise Driss, who must adjust to a new job and lifestyle overnight. Co-directed and written by Frenchmen Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano, it's a touching portrait of an unlikely friendship that isn't as sentimental as it sounds. Even if you don't care much for foreign films, "The Intouchables" is a satisfying gem of a movie that's worth your time.

Hysteria - B

Rated R, 95 minutes

Good vibrations can be found in the new comedy "Hysteria"

"Hysteria" isn't your average, predictable rom com, after all, it's based on a true story of the guy who invented the vibrator. Snicker if you must, but "Hysteria" (named after an old-age common misdiagnosis of women) isn't low-brow and doesn't star Adam Sandler, but a (no pun intended) feel good comedy about feeling good. The British cast includes Hugh Dancy ("Our Idiot Brother") as Dr. Mortimer Granville, the British doctor and scientist who patented the first electric version of the device, causing a stir in London in 1880. The opinionated doctor got the idea after working as an assistant to a doctor (Jonathan Pryce) who specialized in women's issues. The doctor he's working for has two daughters, the prim and proper one (Felicity Jones) and the very outspoken one (Maggie Gyllenhaal), causing even more problems after he invents the special device, which becomes a huge hit. "Hysteria" is an enjoyable romantic comedy with some fun jokes and feminist rhetoric thrown in for good measure. Some of it creates an uneven flow, but it's well-cast and well-acted by Dancy and Gyllenhaal, who have some nice chemistry together. I like that it plays it for laughs without becoming too dirty about it; "Hysteria" makes it point quite nicely without a great deal of nudity (the facial expression of the women is the chief highlight of the film). There's also nothing wrong with the feminist ideals and sexual liberation, but it seems unnecessary and redundant given that the subject matter itself is a tribute to women's sexuality. "Hysteria" is an entertaining, fact-based romp that's worth a look and a few laughs.

For Greater Glory - C+

Rated R, 143 minutes

Garcia best thing about affecting, overlong "For Greater Glory"

The new drama "For Greater Glory" is the epic new fact-based historical drama about the war for religious freedom in Mexico in the late 1920s. Essentially a Mexican "Braveheart," it stars Andy Garcia as the military leader who led the fight, and he is the best thing about the engrossing but overlong drama. Garcia is Enrique Velarde, a former general in the Mexican army helping lead the fight over religious persecution in late 1920s Mexico from Mexican President Calles (Ruben Blades, used well here). The epic, earnest drama "For Greater Glory," directed by "The Lord of the Rings" visual effects supervisor Dean Wright, is handsomely filmed on location in Mexico with Garcia headlining the cast as the stalwart general who wasn't a religious man. Veteran Peter O'Toole has a very small role as a priest while Eva Longoria cameos as Velarde's wife, but this is largely Garcia's movie and he has a couple of nice, climactic "Braveheart"-esque speeches to rally the troops. The battle scenes are impressively staged and the music from Oscar-winner James Horner (who, interestingly, also did the score for "Braveheart") uplifts. "For Greater Glory" is designed to inspire (especially Catholics) but it's too long and one violent scene involving a child may not set well with some (off-screen would have been better). Though a flawed film - it's unclear on the outcome of this specific war - "For Greater Glory" is an otherwise stirring tribute to those who fought the good fight for freedom, religious or otherwise.

Snow White and the Huntsman - B-

Rated PG-13, 127 minutes

Theron breathes life into this dark, enjoyable take on "Snow White"

In a movie about the fairest of them all, it's the evil queen who steals the show. "Snow White and the Huntsman" is the dark new version of the Grimm fairy tale that's vastly entertaining and held together by the delectably evil queen played by Oscar-winner Charlize Theron. There are some nice touches and others a little more odd, but most of it works remarkably well, albeit far, far different than the previous comedic version this year, "Mirror, Mirror" that had another Oscar-winner, Julia Roberts, in the role of the evil queen. In this story, the evil Queen Rivenna (Theron) has overtaken the land but soon learns from her Magic Mirror that she will soon be surpassed as the "fairest of them all" by her own stepdaughter, Snow White (Kristen Stewart). However, Snow White escapes to the dark forest and Rivenna summons a huntsman named Eric (Chris Hemsworth) to bring her back so she can steal Snow's heart. But Snow encounters seven dwarfs who help her lead a revolution to take back the land. "Snow White and the Huntsman" is a darkly entertaining version of the tale that's likely closer to the tone of the original Grimm tale but nothing like the Disney tale we've always known. Though it takes much of the romance out and it often plays like a version of "Snow White Meets Braveheart," it's held together with verve by Theron, wonderfully cast here as the mean queen and who holds the screen with force. Given the familiarity of the tale, we know all too well her fate, but her magnetic presence is overpowering and you miss her when she's not on screen. Stewart and Hemsworth are solid but overshadowed by Theron; Stewart is good but lacks the presence of a fair maiden though she certainly possesses the strength of a princess. In an odd bit of casting, the dwarfs are all played by familiar (and non-dwarf) character actors: Nick Frost, Ian McShane, Ray Winstone, Bob Hoskins, Toby Jones and Eddie Marsen among them, though this actually adds to the charm of the film. The sets, the costumes and the music (including a nice new song by rock group Florence and the Machine played over the end credits) are all first-rate. In a summer filled with sequels and superheroes, "Snow White and the Huntsman" is both refreshing and original. Definitely worth a look.