Despite a lukewarm reception from critics, Paul Blart: Mall Cop was a sizeable box office hit. So naturally, we’re treated to Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, which critics say lacks even the modest charms of its predecessor — it’s indifferently performed, tonally jumbled, and almost entirely bereft of laughs. Kevin James returns as the self-important Blart, who’s been invited to a security guard convention in Vegas. Will our hero overcome gluttony and boorishness to thwart a brazen art heist and rescue his kidnapped daughter? The pundits say Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 is a startlingly empty experience, one that James’ inherent likability does little to enliven. (Check out this week’s Total Recall, in which we run down some of cinema’s most critically-panned second installments.)
At first blush, Unfriended sounds pretty gimmicky: it’s a horror movie that consists entirely of footage from its teenage characters’ computer screens. However, critics say the result is smart and deeply unsettling, a clever thriller that has a thing or two to say about teen angst and modern communication. The plot: on the anniversary of a classmate’s death, a group of high schoolers are being hunted — via Skype — by her malevolent spirit. The pundits say Unfriended is an intelligent blend of form and content that feels utterly contemporary. (Watch our video interview with the cast here.)
Who doesn’t love monkeys? Critics say Monkey Kingdom might be Disneynature’s best film to date, and its breathtaking footage of primates in the wild makes for action-packed viewing. Narrated by Tina Fey, the film follows a group of toque macaques who live in the Sri Lankan jungle near an abandoned temple, with special attention paid to a single mother and her child who are trying to fit in with their new community. The pundits say Monkey Kingdom‘s stars are a playful, colorful bunch, and if the film sometimes anthropomorphizes them, they’re still likely to please animal lovers of all ages.
