Girl Most Likely - C+

Rated PG-13, 103 minutes

Wiig the best thing about the uneven but fun "Girl Most Likely"

Kristen Wiig

Eccentricity is worn like a badge of honor in the familiar, sitcom-y new comedy "Girl Most Likely," starring Kristen Wiig, a talented actress in need of a better script. Wiig plays Imogene, a New York City magazine writer who fakes a suicide after a bad breakup. She is sent to live with her slightly weird but loving mother Zelda (Annette Bening), her social outcast younger brother Ralph (Christopher Fitzgerald), her Mom's secretive live-in boyfriend "The Boush" (Matt Dillon) and a young live-in singer (Darren Criss) where she has to try to find herself again. The charming but excessively quirky "Girl Most Likely," directed by Shari Stringer Berman and Robert Pulcini, the team behind the acclaimed "American Splendor," falls under the weight of its own oddball likability and predictability. It seems to be taking some clues from Wiig's own "Bridesmaids," as this character isn't much different from that one in her efforts to find her footing. Granted, without Wiig, this might be a total failure, and the film works best when it rests on her natural allure and intelligence, in addition to her fun chemistry with Bening, who exudes an appealing, cougarish sexuality and whose role seems intentionally secondary in order not to completely steal the movie. The rambling plot, which has Wiig find her way through uneven searches for her father and falling in love again, could easily be the pilot for a TV sitcom starring an actress who's not nearly as funny as Wiig, who brings a touching, almost pensive humanity to the role while still making you laugh. The effusive but unmemorable "Girl Most Likely" is peppered with a few fun moments, but unless you're a huge Wiig fan, you may find something more satisfying.

Wes's Grade: C+

Turbo - B

Rated PG, 90 minutes

 Winning, fun "Turbo" moves along quite well

Ryan Reynolds as Turbo

Some of the better movies this summer have been animated, and you can add the enjoyable, colorful new film "Turbo" to that list. About a snail who ends up in the Indianapolis 500, it's immensely likeable and well-cast. Ryan Reynolds, is Theo, or Turbo, who longs to leave the slow-paced life of a snail behind him and become a race car driver like his hero, Guy Gagne (Bill Hader). When an accident infuses his DNA with nitrous oxide, Turbo may get his chance, and with his rag tag crew led by his new human friend Angelo (Michael Pena), his brother Chet (Paul Giamatti) and a group of snails led by Whiplash (Samuel L. Jackson), he turns his world and everyone else's, upside down. Directed by David Soren and from Dreamworks Animation, "Turbo" is a predictable but entertaining animated entry, that while not on the level of Pixar, is a pleasant surprise and is filled with a peppy energy that will keep the young set engaged. It also helps that "Turbo" has some inspired voices, especially from the supporting cast including Jackson, whose tough snail character is clearly not intimidated by some crows, Hader as the competition, and comedian Ken Jeong ("Community," "The Hangover" films) as a wise-cracking female nail shop owner. The plotting, the messages of friendship, family and support are all-too familiar and its first act is a tad - no pun intended - sluggish (except for those darn crows, who provide the funniest moments early on), but overall "Turbo" bounces with enough energy to make this a fun drive in the end. "Turbo" is a winner and worth a look for even the adults.

Wes's Grade: B

Grown Ups 2 - D-

Rated PG-13, 101 minutes

Adam Sandler and friends act like kids again in "Grown Ups 2"

Adam Sandler and the cast of "Grown Ups 2"

Let's say you grab a video camera, gather some of your friends, put on some silly costumes and wigs, jack around and act like buffoons for about 90 minutes. That's essentially what the dreadful new Adam Sandler comedy "Grown Ups 2," this totally unnecessary, woefully awful sequel to his equally terrible 2010 hit "Grown Ups," except the actors actually get paid for this piece of crap. In this outing, Sandler and his pals Chris Rock, David Spade and Kevin James goof off and hide from their lovely wives Salma Hayek, Maya Rudolph and Maria Bello, still trying to grow up and figure life out. "Grown Ups 2" is really not a movie about anything in general, it's just a silly, recycled string of gags badly strung together and a lousy excuse for Sandler and his pals to horse around in front of the camera once again. His usual director, Dennis Dugan, is listed as officially being in charge of this mess, but Sandler is to blame, assembling a large coterie of his usual movie pals (including Nick Swardson, Allan Covert and Peter Dante), not to mention a "Saturday Night Live" current and former cast reunion, including Rudolph, Tim Meadows, Andy Samberg, Taran Killam, Jon Lovitz, Colin O'Quinn, Cheri Oteri and (gulp) even Ellen Cleghorne. And in keeping with the Sandler stunt movie casting, throw in Taylor Lautner, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The J. Geils Band, Dan Patrick (the worst of them), Chris Berman and Shaquille O'Neal into the mix, and if you watch closely enough, Patrick Schwarzenegger, son of Arnold, cameos. After the critical drubbing (which is putting it lightly) of recent Sandler outings such as "That's My Boy" and "Jack and Jill," Sandler is seemingly not making much of an effort here, so something like this once again makes him an easy target as he becomes richer off his childish, mean-spirited antics. Admittedly, there are a small handful of genuinely funny bits and lines (thanks mostly to Chris Rock and some cheesy '80s costumes), but certainly not enough to fill even a halfway decent movie, which this isn't. Far worse than the first "Grown Ups," which isn't saying much at all, the dreadfully cringeworthy "Grown Ups 2" is among the worst of not only the summer, but all of 2013 so far. In keeping with true Sandler tradition, this should be in contention for many Golden Raspberry Awards, as Sandler and pals (shame on you Salma Hayek!) laugh all the way to the bank. If this is your idea of fun go for it, but just know what you're getting into isn't all that fun at all.

Wes's Grade: D-

Pacific Rim - C+

Rated PG-13, 131 minutes

Big, loud and mildly fun "Pacific Rim"

"Pacific Rim" fits perfectly in the summer movie going season. The monstrously budgeted and mounted film is geared toward the guys and filled with special effects and action galore. The fact it's helmed by acclaimed fantasy director Guillermo Del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth") makes it a tad smarter than others in genre, with the visuals clearly the best thing about an all-too familiar, excessively loud film. The film is set in the near future as legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, start rising from the sea to engage war with humanity. To combat these monstrous giants, Earth constructs robotic monsters of their own, known as Jaegars and piloted by humans. A washed up pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi) team to form mankind's last hope against a mounting apocalypse. The modestly fun but clunky "Pacific Rim" certainly delivers the action, even if it will certainly induce a headache from all the CG visuals crammed into it. Granted, Del Toro, the creative genius behind such hits as "Blade II" and "Hellboy" is an interesting choice for something like this, and he certainly has his usual, weird fun with the creatures, but they overtake the story early on, leaving behind a muddled narrative and cardboard characters. The enormous creatures, the real stars of the show, are indeed dark and brooding, but even they have a ring of familiarity to them, making this feel like "Transformers" crossed with "Godzilla" with a little bit of "Matrix" thrown in for good measure. It doesn't help that the talented cast is largely wasted amidst the action. Hunnam ("Sons of Anarchy") is a bland action-hero while Oscar-nominated Japanese actress Kikuchi, who doesn't fit here, just a plain odd one. Idris Elba, comedian Charlie Day, and Del Toro's favorite actor, Ron Perlman, are all mixed in for different flavors, with Day and Perlman thrown in for obvious comedic measure, and they end up with some of the better lines of the script by Del Toro and Travis Beacham. Del Toro is the most interesting of filmmakers, which makes "Pacific Rim" an intriguing failure; it's watchable with some well-placed action set pieces, even if it's so excessively busy you don't care about any of the humans. The mildly entertaining but ultimately unsatisfying "Pacific Rim" is a testosterone-fueled epic that will likely play best with the fanboy set (i.e. mostly young guys), who'll get the most out of the video-game style action and battles. In spite of its appeal on that level, it's a disappointment. Go if you must, but take some Tylenol with you if you do.

Wes's Grade: C+

The Way Way Back - B

Rated PG-13, 103 minutes

Familiar "The Way Way Back" a bittersweet, well-acted coming-of-age story

Liam James and Anna Sophia-Robb

"The Way Way Back" is all about the summer vacation you've always wanted to have. Touching and genuine, it's nothing new but it's destined to be the sleeper hit of a season in need of one. It tells the story of shy, awkward 14-year-old Duncan's (Liam James) summer vacation with his mother, Pam (Toni Collette), her overbearing boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell) and the pretty girl next door (Anna Sophia-Robb). Duncan finds an unexpected friend in gregarious Owen (Sam Rockwell), manager of the Water Wizz water park, who helps him see the world a little differently. Co-directed and written by the Oscar-winning writing team of Nat Faxon and Jim Rash from "The Descendants," it's a a winning, somewhat bittersweet entry in the quirky, fun coming-of-age-story with a cast that makes it universally better. Teen actor Liam James of TV's "The Killing" and "Psych" grounds the film well as the lanky teenager trying desperately to find a place he's happy at, though most of the attention will likely come from the adults. The usually comic Carrell plays against type in a serious role as a Grade A douche bag you'll love to hate from the opening frame of the film. Also memorable in a small role is "The West Wing's" Allison Janney as a blowsy friend that may remind classic film lovers of the late Shelley Winters in her prime (for younger viewers, she was the Grandma on "Roseanne"). The charming Rockwell is also strong throughout the film, providing some of the film's lighter moments ("this isn't even my best material" he exclaims when he elicits the wrong reaction to a joke), and watch for directors/writers and actors Faxon and Rash as two of his endearing co-workers. Surprisingly, the underwritten, all-too familiar story is the film's biggest weakness, lacking the emotional and romantic gravitas of "The Descendants," but it works well because of the great performances, even when it tends to rely on some of Rockwell's (admittedly funny) jokes. Satisfying, amusing and well-acted, "The Way Way Back," named for where the main character has to sit in the station wagon, reminds us that it isn't all bad to find your happy place and be yourself. This may be a good companion piece to another fun current release coming-of-age-movie  "The Kings of Summer," and you will thank yourself for paying to see both this summer.

Wes's Grade: B

Despicable Me 2 - B-

Rated PG, 98 minutes

Steve Carrell as Gru

Once more, the Minions steal the thinly charming "Despicable Me 2"

The witty, original 2010 animated film "Despicable Me" was a big hit, in large part due to the voice talent of Steve Carrell as lead character Gru and a large cast of yellow, egg-shaped minions. They're all back in the enjoyable "Despicable Me 2," overall a weaker, thinner effort than the original but pleasant enough for the young set. Carrell is back as former world villain Gru, who has given up taking over the world in favor of raising three precocious girls and starting a jelly and jam business. He's lured back into spying on the bad guys and given a partner named Lucy (Kristen Wiig), with whom he shares a special chemistry, and the two must track down a mysterious restaurant owner (Benjamin Bratt), who may be supposedly dead villain El Macho. The first film's directors, Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud, are back directing here as well, and while the film is colorful and pleasant, the first act is a bit slow and suffers when the little yellow guys aren't on screen. Part of the appeal of the original film was Carrell's Gru, who's softened up a bit in this film, and as a result, less fun. "DM2" picks up with some much needed energy in the last act, when the minions have a greater role and are much more essential to the thin plot. Other than that, there isn't much to go on, but it's still an enjoyable outing for the little ones. It's also nice having Wiig around, who adds some more pep in a much nicer voice role than she had in the first film. It's hard not to like "Despicable Me 2," even if it's not as witty or energetic (and much less despicable) as the 2010 film, and you will want to stay over for the credits for more minion action and some of the best 3D you'll see this year. And if you can't get enough of the minions, never fear they'll have their own animated film (which the credits serve as a tiny preview to), "Minions" in 2014 with Sandra Bullock as the villain. I can only imagine what the director's notes had on this if they needed filler. When in doubt, always cut to the minions. You can't go wrong there.

Wes's Grade: B-

The Lone Ranger - C

Rated PG-13, 149 minutes

Johnny Depp and Tonto and Armie Hammer as The Lone Ranger

Occasionally fun but bloated makes for one long "Ranger"

Hi-Yo Silver, please make this end! The wild west never seemed so tedious in the new big- budget, big-screen adaptation of the old TV series "The Lone Ranger." Granted, it's fun to hear the "William Tell Overture" amidst a few sporadically fun moments, but is still too long, tries too hard and improves nothing on the original. Native American spirit warrior Tonto (Johnny Depp) recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid (Armie Hammer), a man of the law, into a legend of justice-taking the audience on a runaway train of epic surprises and humorous friction as the two unlikely heroes must learn to work together and fight against greed and corruption. Directed by Gore Verbinski, who's teamed with Depp in the past to great success on such films as the "Pirates of the Caribbean" and the animated "Rango," fails to recreate that some same big screen magic in spite of a handful of fun moments, and much like a couple of sequences in the film, is largely a train wreck. There are two major problems with "The Lone Ranger:" one is an uneven, overambitious narrative that ends up about 30-40 minutes too long, with an especially sluggish middle act. The second is the miscasting of the bland Hammer (best known from "The Social Network") as the title character, played here as a wimpish, uptight city boy who literally stumbles upon his true calling, lacking the charm and dash of the popular 1950s TV series. Though Depp is inspired casting in yet another eccentric turn he's become known for, after a couple of box-office duds (last summer's "The Dark Shadow" among them) even he cannot carry this bloated film on his back, though he, along with that dead bird atop his head, tries valiantly. The most memorable of the cast is character actor William Fichtner as the primary villain, and Helena Bonham Carter as the madame with a leg up on the competition, not to mention the white horse eventually known as Silver, who genuinely steals most of the scenes from Depp and Hammer. By the time it finally picks up some energy in its action-packed finale, you'll be ready for it to end; on that note, the mildly enjoyable but overdone "The Lone Ranger" seems more "The Long Ranger" for its butt-enduring 2 hour and 30 minute running time. In what has already been a less-than-impressive summer, a forgettable "Lone Ranger" is its biggest disappointment yet, ke-moh-sah-bee.

Wes's Grade: C