This raunchy comedy won’t have you rolling down the aisles in a laughing fit, but We’re the Millers does hit the occasional comedic high point.

Former Saturday Night Live alum Jason Sudeikis plays aging small-time Denver drug dealer Dave Clark, who happens to be the on hook to a drug kingpin (Ed Helms) after his stash and cash are stolen by some young punks. To pay back his debt, Clark must smuggle a “smidge” of marijuana across the border from Mexico. He devises the idea to parade as a wholesome unsuspecting family—because who would mistake an all-Ameican family for drug smugglers—with the help of local stripper, Rose (Aniston), the geeky kid next door, Kenny (Will Poulter) and a couch-hopping troubled teen, Casey (Emma Roberts).

What happens shortly after the misfit “family” members hop in their RV and take off on their journey should come as a surprise to no one. The foursome’s time together breeds a level of familiarity, which predictably leads to genuine care and concern for one another. This is where We’re the Millers may earn some appreciation from viewers.

All of the film’s stars do an apt job in their roles. Sudeikis is edgy and as sarcastic as ever. Young British actor Poulter adds a naïve charm to the film and provides a couple of the film’s most memorable moments (when a poisonous tarantula gets inside his pants, the results and his reaction is priceless). Emma Roberts held her own, though at times I felt as if she didn’t really add anything to some of the scenes she was in.

Aniston’s performance had a very endearing quality to it, especially in the scenes where her maternal instincts are on display. But what I’m sure most people are curious about is her prowess as a stripper. First off, she is in fantastic shape! It’s obvious she works very hard to keep her body in tip-top shape. Her strip tease scene was done tastefully, and was even injected with a bit of humor to continue with the film’s overall comedic tone. I will admit that at one point during her dance I thought to myself: “It’s weird watching Rachel perform a strip tease.”

This exaggerated comedy does suffer a bit from an uneven script, but not enough to mar an otherwise enjoyable experience filled at times with hilarity, as well as humanity.

-- Derrick Mitcham

At first glance, The Conjuring may appear as just another entry in the haunted-house film genre. But don’t let the initial feeling of familiarity fool you; this film offers scares aplenty, and most surprisingly, nails them almost perfectly to frightening effect.

This tale is based on the real-life exploits of paranormal specialists Ed Warren—the only Vatican-recognized demonologist—and his clairvoyant wife, Lorraine. The pair made famous by their work on the renowned and much-disputed Amityville Horror case.

As the film begins, we see Mr. Warren (Patrick Wilson) and Mrs. Warren (Vera Farmiga) investigating the possession of an insanely creepy doll in the late 1960s. This opening scene sets the tone of the movie and paves the way for the events ahead.  

Fast forward to 1970, and we’re introduced to the Roger and Carolyn Perron (Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor) and their five daughters. The family has just moved into an old Rhode Island farmhouse that holds, unbeknownst to them, some dark secrets within its walls. Before they can even put out the welcome mat, mysterious events begin to plague the family—all the clocks in the house stop at the same time, mysterious knocking sounds echo throughout the house, sleeping girls are awaken in the middle of the night by a tug at their leg, etc.  

These events prompt the Perrons to seek out the Warrens in hopes of finding an explanation for the strange occurrences.

Director James Wan (of torture porn film Saw) borrows many elements from classic horror films of yesteryear—Poltergeist, The Haunting, and of course The Exorcist. The setting and the score of the film really help illustrate the increasing tension throughout the film. At times, scenes go by with very little sound to no sound at all. This ramped up the fear factor, and often had me slinking down into my seat in anticipation of what was going to happen next.

Despite the majority of the film taking place in one location—the Perrons' home—I never bored of the setting. In fact, I think it was one of the strongest elements of the film. The house gives you the feeling that you’re in a place you know you shouldn’t be, but you go forward anyway because it’s hard to resist the old-world charm and mystery of the place.

All of the actors involved gave resounding and believable performances. Yes, I’m saying that about actors in a horror film! Taylor and Farmiga come off as the most compelling characters in the film. Their respective performances beg the audience to sympathize with them and root for them as they each battle their own demons—literally and figuratively.

The Conjuring is not going to win any awards for originality. It relies on a formula that has been used time and time again—most often unsuccessfully—throughout the horror film genre. What makes this a must see for fans of the supernatural is the way Wan delivers such a chilling tale while utilizing many of the same techniques that fail to deliver the thrills and chills in other scary movies. This movie shows that treading in familiar territory can feel like a new and refreshing experience. 

--Derrick Mitcham 

Director Gore Verbinski and actor Johnny Depp may have hit the bull’s eye with the three Pirates of the Caribbean films and the animated Rango, but The Lone Ranger completely misses the mark.

In this revisionist film, Verbinski tells the tale of how the Comanche warrior with a tortured past, Tonto (Johnny Depp), and straight-laced Texas lawyer John Reid (Armie Hammer) came to meet and the adventure they share in their pursuit of justice. The two do not exactly see eye-to-eye upon their first encounter. But when Reid is left for dead after he and his fellow Texas Rangers are ambushed by the outlaw Butch Cavendish (William Fichtner) and his gang, Tonto nurses the ailing lawman back to health and gives him his signature black mask to complete his vigilante makeover.

From here, the pair face-off time and time again against Cavendish, corporate tycoons driven by greed, and on many occasions, each other. This back-and-forth goes on for way too long (the film clocks in at 2 hours and 29 minutes), dragging the film down and making it all feel like a colossal bore. There were about five different incidents during the film where I said to myself: "I can’t believe it’s still going." It definitely would have benefited the film if it were an hour shorter.

I kept hoping that Depp would step up and serve as the film’s saving grace, but sadly that did not happen. His charm and ability to breathe the right amount of eccentricity into his characters continues with his portrayal of Tonto. Some of the silliest moments in the film come during his conversations with the spirit horse, and his attempts to feed the deceased crow that reigns from atop his head. With that said, I couldn’t help but feel like I was watching a less-flamboyant version of Jack Sparrow, minus the dreadlocks and pirate get-up, out in the Wild West.  

Hammer was likeable enough, though his performance came off as very bland at times and then campy at others. Verbinski’s uncertainty as to how to frame the film as a whole might be partly to blame for that.

Helena Bonham Carter makes a brief appearance that adds little to the film. Though she does show off a fake ivory leg that conceals a hidden pistol, which should be good for a few points from gun enthusiasts.

Tonally, the film seemed to be all over the place. You could almost label it a parody for the way it satirized the source material. Yet there were some dramatic moments that added some tension to the film, as well as sociopolitical commentary on corruption and greed. It seemed Verbinski wanted to address a few too many issues at once.   

I do think the film succeeded visually. The shooting locations chosen were visually striking and added great scenic value to much of the film. And there is something to be said for its authenticity. Real trains were built, as opposed to CGI locomotives, for some of the film’s best action sequences. About six miles worth of railroad track were actually laid as well.

In all, there are a few enjoyable moments to be had in The Lone Ranger. It’s clear that Verbinski was looking to recreate the magic and commercial success of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, but this film simply does not meet the challenge. This is one film I hope the spirit horse leaves dead and gone once its time has come.  

--Derrick Mitcham   

As far as pure excitement goes, moviegoers will be hard-pressed to find a superhero movie that offers more of it than Marvel’s Iron Man franchise. Iron Man 3 continues that trend, cranking the level of intensity up to 11, while also taking the viewer on a journey into the fragile psyche of a vulnerable Tony Stark.

Director and co-writer Shane Black (Lethal Weapon) is handed the keys to the latest installment in the series. There are plenty of thrills to be had on this ride for sure, but at times it seems not much else.

In this outing, we find our hero, Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) squaring off against a new nemesis, the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), who orchestrates the detonation of a series of bombs, obliterating nearly everything and everyone in their blast radius, and leaving no trace of the device that was used. After Stark’s ex-bodyguard and long-time friend Happy (Jon Favreau) is injured in one of the blasts, Stark sets off on a mission of “good old-fashioned revenge.”

Before Stark can even suit up though, he has the foundations of his life blown out from under him—literally— thanks to some well-placed missiles. I guess he probably regrets giving the Mandarin his home address now.

This attack leaves Stark stranded far from home, without any protection, and to his own devices—much the way we saw the character in the first Iron Man film.

There is also something different about Stark this time around. He seems to suffer from some sort of post-traumatic stress disorder that leaves him overwhelmed with anxiety at the mere mention of the words “New York.” It’s clear that the fight against Loki and the Chitauri army from the film The Avengers has clearly left Stark more aware of his insignificance in the grand scheme of things—at one point in the film he refers to himself as “just a man in a can.”  

Once again, it’s difficult to find fault in Downey’s portrayal of the flawed character. His trademark wit and rapid-fire retort style return front and center, leaving him in command of the screen any time he’s on camera, and leaving the audience lingering for his next utterance.    

Downey isn’t the only one who delivers a worthy performance. Ben Kingsley is masterful in his portrayal of bin Laden-esque—in appearance and motivation—the Mandarin. Guy Pearce also shines as the other bad guy in the film, Aldrich Killian (his last name has the word “kill” in it … You know he’s evil). Killian is a former science geek who holds a grudge against Stark for blowing him off one New Year’s Eve, and looks to destroy the self-proclaimed genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist by teaming up with the Mandarin.  

Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle also reprise their roles as Pepper Potts and James Rhodes, respectively.

While there is nothing outright bad about the film, as I watched it I felt like there just wasn’t enough Iron Man. During much of the movie, Stark is stripped of his trademark armor. And while watching Stark go tit-for-tat with a young kid he befriends was entertaining at times, I found myself asking inside my head: “When am I going to see Iron Man blow something up?” I guess that’s just the comic book fan/kid in me.

Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of explosions and whiz bang visual and special effects to keep diehard action fans happy (the falling out the plane scene was spectacular). The climax scene of the movie is nothing short of breathtaking, delivering some of the best effects I’ve seen in any movie.

This is definitely a “go see.” It avoids some of the pitfalls that plague many films adapted from comic books. It offers enough highs and lows and ventures into some new territory to prevent it from feeling like a “been there, done that” affair. While it would be dishonest to call this film the best of the franchise, it stands up well as another entertaining entry in the Iron Man saga.   

-- Derrick Mitcham