Ted 2

McFarlane stuffs the same used plush formula with the same loveable live action Family jokes, but forgets the heartfelt story that made the first coming so accessible.  Amusing anecdotal episodes and silly celebrity cameos mesh horribly with the shoe-horned messages of the courtroom scenes and the bearly tolerable third act.

Paul

Shaun and Fuzz team up again but without Wright everything goes wrong. The jokes fall flat, the plot is convoluted, and the character’s are mostly un-sympathetic. Kristen Wiig and the animating team responsible for CGI-ET are the films only saving graces. This Pineapple Express Encounter is less super than bad.

Crazy, Stupid, Love.

Gosling plays unfairly attractive mentor in The 40-Year-Old Monogamist. Basically an extended episode of an intricately plotted sitcom that lands laughs and tears with several ingeniously choreographed scenes. Drags a bit long at the end and remains morally ambiguous throughout, but holds its own through brilliant plot-twists and wicked wit.

Shutter Island

Scorsese finally proves that ‘no,’ he doesn’t only make good movies. Interesting continuity editing lets Dicaprio showcase ability to spontaneously change position of props, facial expressions, and entire body between camera angle cuts. Insanely flawed story reflects loyalty of film to source material. Decent film if zero thought is applied.