La Bare - B

Rated R, 90 minutes

"La Bare" an entertaining, occasionally revealing look at the famous male strip club

"La Bare" is the real, untold story behind the dancers that helped inspire the Matthew McConaughey hit "Magic Mike." An enjoyable, behind the scenes documentary that's directed by actor Joe Manganiello ("Magic Mike" and "True Blood") in his debut as a director, the film goes behind the curtain, behind the stage and behind the magic of the world's most popular male strip club, La Bare right here in Dallas, Texas. Featuring a unique ensemble of the club's most popular dancers, the documentary takes a provocative look into their rockstar lifestyle and offers a front row seat to their lives, loves, laughs and losses. An entertaining, often fascinating look at the world of male stripping, "La Bare" is revealing in that it highlights the differences between men and women. Men are strictly visual and prefer big, busty women, while women prefer to enjoy a little show with their beefcake. It also highlights the many personalities and the reasons why these handsome men do what they do - some to earn a quick buck, some for the women, and others for legitimate business reasons. Speaking of which, one of the most fascinating characters Manganiello shows is Randy "Master Blaster" Ricks, who not only holds the Guinness World Record for longest consecutive male dancer (34 years and counting) but also takes it so seriously he mentors the younger guys and has his own successful male stripping business, with his own Mom answering the phones. Though the documentary was put into motion no doubt by the success of "Magic Mike," that film really owes its inspiration to these guys, who obviously know how to put on a show. Though "La Bare" often serves as an extended ad for the club itself, the documentary can be enjoyed by both sexes and is also an insightful look at the business of guys who take their clothes off for a living. Just put the dollar bills away until you get to the club.

Wes's Grade: B

The Grand Seduction - B-

Rated PG-13, 115 minutes

"The Grand Seduction" is unoriginal but charming, offbeat comedy

If the enjoyable Canadian comedy "The Grand Seduction" seems familiar, it is. It's a remake of the 2003 French comedy "La Grande Seduction" but it's also calculated, but in such a calculated way you may not mind. A small fishing village must procure a local doctor to secure a lucrative business contract. When unlikely candidate and big city doctor Paul Lewis (Taylor Kitsch) lands in their lap for a trial residence, the townsfolk rally together to charm him into staying. As the doctor's time in the village winds to a close, acting mayor Murray French (Brendan Gleeson) has no choice but to pull out all the stops and begin The Grand Seduction. Directed by Don McKellar ("The Red Violin"), The pleasant "The Grand Seduction" is silly and predictable but carried by a charming cast, with a memorable, heartwarming turn from the very likable Gleeson, who should be given more leads. Though a remake of the aforementioned French movie, it bears striking resemblance to an equally charming 1983 British film "Local Hero" that garnered some acclaim for Oscar-winner Burt Lancaster in his final years of making movies. The affable Kitsch is a good pairing for Glesson, though both are upstaged by veteran Canadian actor Gordon Pinsent as one of the cranky townspeople, and it comes as no surprise that Pinsent won a Supporting Actor Award from the Canadian Screen Awards earlier this year. "The Grand Seduction" meanders a bit in its second act and you wonder how some could be so stupid to fall for something like this, but it's all in good fun. Worth a look for Gleeson and the hilarious Pinsent.

Wes's Grade: B-

They Came Together - B

Rated R, 83 minutes

Poehler and Rudd make for the perfect anti rom com team in "They Came Together"

Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler

The new romantic comedy "They Came Together" is absolutely nothing new, and you can probably figure it out just by looking at the synopsis on paper. But it's well-written and features two funny leads (not to mention a stellar supporting cast) you'll fall in love in instantly. When Joel (Paul Rudd) and Molly (Amy Poehler) meet, it's hate at first sight: his big Corporate Candy Company threatens to shut down her quirky indie candy shop. Plus, Joel is hung up on his sexy ex (Cobie Smulders). But amazingly, they fall in love, until they break up about two thirds of the way through, and Molly starts dating her accountant (Ed Helms). It's amazing these two forty-somethings ever get together. "They Came Together," in spite of its predictable "You Got Mail"-esque premise, is the anti-rom com and often does a terrific job of skewering the genre itself while at the same time embracing it. It's helps that it's directed and co-written by David Wain, who's directed Rudd before in "Role Models" and "Wanderlust," and Wain's co-writer is Michael Showalter of "Wet Hot American," another Rudd vehicle. In addition, Rudd and Poehler are the two most likable leads this side of Kate Hudson, and well-supported by a terrific supporting cast including Smulders, Helms, Christopher Meloni, Bill Hader, Kenan Thompson, and Ellie Kemper, among many others. There are some fun scenes, including the costume party section and other rom com cliches (New York City, breakups, coffee shops, montages, wistful songs, bookstores, etc) that are well-incorporated and satirized at the same time - you'll laugh out loud when Poehler places her order in the coffee shop and Rudd gets it right or when Rudd meets Poehler's screen parents. "They Came Together" is enjoyably short and sweet and if it weren't so darn likable and tongue-in-cheek, would be just another predictable, bland rom com. The difference is it's a sharply funny, well-written and predictable rom com.

Wes's Grade: B

Transformers: Age of Extinction: C

Rated PG-13, 167 minutes

Mark Wahlberg

Latest, action-packed "Transformers" is more exhaustive clanging

Michael Bay and company are back with the latest "Transformers" outing, this time called "Age of Extinction" (unfortunately referring to the Transformers, not to the movie series) and with it comes a new human cast and some new machines. A few new shiny offerings doesn't necessarily equate to a better movie, and the modestly entertaining but wildly exhausting and overstuffed "Age of Extinction" only proves that Bay can pack even more into the clangy movie, represented by the 167 minute running time (and that's without credits). "Extinction" picks up a few years after the Chicago battle in the third movie. As humanity picks up the pieces, a shadowy group reveals itself in an attempt to control the direction of history...while an ancient, powerful new menace sets Earth in its crosshairs. With help from a determined Texas inventor (Mark Wahlberg), Optimus Prime and the Autobots rise to meet their most fearsome challenge yet and are swept up in a war of good and evil, ultimately leading to a climactic battle across the world. The excessively loud, action-packed "Transformers: Age of Extinction" may well be the biggest movie of the summer in terms of receipts, just don't expect it to be the best. Along with popcorn and soda, take a generous helping of Aleve gel caps and maybe a muscle relaxer to calm your nerves after finishing with the nearly three-hour opus, as you'll be considerably exhausted by it. The shiny, impressive visuals and action, like the previous two installments, is the most memorable, and one thing is for sure, this is where Bay and company consistently deliver, and I enjoyed seeing Optimus Prime as much as anyone. Everything else, including the story and acting, even with the talents of Wahlberg, not to mention a fun Stanley Tucci and a scowling Kelsey Grammer (yep, Frasier is the lead baddie here), is third-rate at best, though most will go for the special-effects and not for the depth of its human characters. On that note, the action-set pieces deliver just fine, though the redundant "Extinction" simply goes on and on much too long, with the final, headache-inducing, China-set battle going on for what seems like an eternity.  Regardless of what I have to say about it, the uber-intense but overdone "Transformers: Age of Extinction," will clang its way to the top of the box-office, no doubt producing yet another chapter, "Transformers 5: The Migraine Age." Sprinkle some Excedrin on your popcorn and you'll be just fine.

Wes's Grade: C

The Rover - B-

Rated R, 102 minutes

"The Rover" dark, depressing yet intriguing post-apocalyptic tale

"The Rover" is not a film for everyone. It's moody, downbeat and moves slowly at times, and though flawed, its "Mad Max" overtones and the leads chemistry helps make the film watchable. The movie, filmed in and set in post-apocalyptic Australia follows hardened loner Eric (Guy Pearce) as he travels the desolate towns and roads of the outback. When a gang of thieves steals his car they leave behind a wounded Rey ("Twilight's" Robert Pattinson) in their wake. Forcing Rey to help track the gang, Eric will go to any lengths to take back the one thing that still matters to him. Directed, written and co-produced by David Michod in a follow-up to his 2010 stylized mobster hit "Animal Kingdom," "The Rover" is an intriguing, original and quite dusty post-apoclyptic tale, just know going into it that it's not exactly the most uplifting film of late. Maybe pair this with a double feature like the recent comic hit "22 Jump Street" to effectively balance your moods out. The dour, sometimes erratic pacing and tone is balanced by some electric scenes of blood and violence that reminds of "Mad Max." It also helps that Pearce and Pattinson make for one of the most unconventional cinematic teams of late, with Pattinson in particular an odd-casting choice (not to mention the inexplicable Southern white trash accent he uses in the midst of Australia) though it works well particularly in the last act. Michod's crime drama "Animal Kingdom," which also featured Pearce, is better than this depressing, futuristic movie, but the Australian-produced "The Rover" is worth a look with some nicely handled, albeit dark moments that add a little flavor to an otherwise down-and-dirty movie that not everyone will enjoy.

Wes's Grade: B-

Think Like a Man Too - C-

Rated PG-13, 106 minutes

"Think Like a Man Too" a mildly charming, woefully unoriginal tale of love and marriage

Speaking as a single man, if the relationships in the new comedy sequel "Think Like a Man Too" represent marriage, then I don't want it. I'm always a little hesitant when sequels misuse the word "too" for "two" - it's meant to be fun but really just lazy, which is what this film is. A sequel to the 2012 hit "Think Like A Man," it has the charm but is so predictable and unoriginal you know how it'll end up before it gets started. All the couples are back for Candace and Michael's (Regina Hall and Terrence J) wedding in Las Vegas. But plans for a romantic weekend go awry when their various misadventures get all of the couples (including Kevin Hart, Michael Ealy, Jerry Ferrera, Meagan Good, Romany Malco, Gabrielle Union and Wendi McLendon-Covey) into some compromising situations that threaten to derail the big event. Directed by Tim Story, this uninspired, derivative sequel to the film inspired by comedian Steve Harvey's best-seller "Act Like A Lady, Think Like a Man," the movie has the spirit and the charm but lacks solid storytelling. The laziness of the script gives a "you've seen it before" vibe, and you have, if you saw the first film or "The Hangover" or just about anything Cameron Diaz and/or Ashton Kutcher has done in the last 5 years and about as good. The antics lack the raunch or surprise of "The Hangover," though the cast, led by resident loudmouth Hart, seem to be enjoy themselves, though they'd be among the few who really did after sitting through much of the unfunny jokes or contrived situations these couples get themselves into. There wasn't much to the first film, and there's even less to work with here, particularly less of statuesque talk show host Wendy Williams, who gives Hart a run for his funny in the laugh department and steals all of her brief scenes (even though she's seen only on a phone for most of them). Money problems, your past, relationship ruts are among the many cliches uneventfully explored in "Think Like a Man Too," which ends exactly as you might think. I just hope the filmmakers learn how to spell (and make a substantial movie) if there's a third outing. Not worth it unless you really, really enjoyed the first film. If this is what marriage is about, ask for a divorce.

Wes's Grade: C-

Jersey Boys - B-

Rated R, 134 minutes

Music the highlight of the charming, flawed "Jersey Boys"

Transforming a Broadway smash musical into a hit movie can be a tricky and unpredictable thing, exhibit A being the disastrous 2011 film version of "Rock of Ages." The good news is the charming new Clint Eastwood-directed film version of the Tony-award winning hit "Jersey Boys," while flawed, fares much better. The overly-familiar narrative, based on the story of the rise of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, is uneven and doesn't translate as well from the stage but the highlight is that it's filled with many rousing Four Seasons hits, including "Sherry," "Walk Like a Man" and "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)." "Jersey Boys" is the account of how Valli (Tony-award winner John Lloyd Young, from the original U.S. stage version), along with Bob Gaudio (Erich Bergen), Tommy DeVito (Vincent Piazza) and Nick Massi (Michael Lomenda) overcame a rough upbringing and numerous other obstacles to become one of rock and roll's most beloved groups and eventual Hall of Fame inductees. Yes, the Broadway hit is still better, and the rags-to-riches story is so well-worn and so-well known at this point it becomes a bit redundant, but the Eastwood-helmed "Jersey Boys" still has enough energy and fun moments, all coming from the music, that you'll be humming as you exit the theater. Eastwood, known for such heavier, dramatic films such as "Unforgiven" and "Million Dollar Baby," is seemingly an odd choice to direct something like this, though if you really know anything about Eastwood he's an accomplished musician himself, and he actually gives the film some dramatic balance along with the fun musical scenes that people will expect from a musical like this. It also helps having Tony-award winner Young from the original musical, who looks and sounds like Valli and is unsurprisingly the standout here, not to mention the fun addition of Christopher Walken as a mobster friend. The last act is a little too uneven, veers too far away from the music and loses some of the timeline; also, one aspect of the stage version that doesn't translate well from stage to film is the fourth-wall narration from the various characters. It's awkwardly integrated by Eastwood and would've worked much better with voice-overs, not to mention we don't hear from Valli as much given really this is his story. Flaws aside, "Jersey Boys" still works because you get to hear all the fun Four Seasons music that made it (and them) such a big hit in the first place. Worth a look for musical Broadway aficionados (and Baby Boomers, who will certainly get the most out of it) just know you'll appreciate the stage version more.

Wes's Grade: B-