A weekly update of movies currently showing at local theaters

American Dreamz (B-)

An all over the map satire where there are enough positives to outweigh the negatives. “American Dreamz” is by no means a perfect film, but it manages to hit just enough right notes to make it more enjoyable than a William Hung greatest hits CD.

The Benchwarmers (C-)

Think “Bad News Bears,” meets “Deuce Bigalow” and you get a pretty good indicator of the comedic standards presented in “The Benchwarmers.” This low brow comedy starring Rob Schneider, David Spade, and Jon Heder does have some laughs – but most come at the expense of some insane, “Where did that come from?” material.

Failure to Launch (C)

This romantic comedy was pleasantly surprising, but still wasn’t good enough to recommend. It does have its moments, notably from a strong supporting cast, but not enough to make it worth your while.

Ice Age 2: The Meltdown (C+)

There are some nice moments, but this sequel to the popular 2002 original doesn’t quite have enough to make for an enjoyable experience.

Inside Man (A-)

Director Spike Lee really showcases his talents in the highly enjoyable “Inside Man.” With the help of a star-studded cast, that includes Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster and Clive Owen, Lee crafts a suspenseful and unpredictable film that is one of the more entertaining releases of 2006.

Lucky Number Slevin (A-)

A delighfully bloody romp full of rich characters and performances. There are times when “Slevin” may feel like it has a few too many pieces, but the puzzle actually comes together perfectly – making it 2006’s first pleasant surprise.

Scary Movie 4 (D)

The latest installment of the popular franchise has some moments that are funny and inventive, and about 100 other gags that are the equivalent of a whoopee cushion. Clocking in at barely 70 minutes, it is clear that even the film’s writers are running out of ideas to spoof.

The Sentinel (C)

This political thriller feaures a likeable enough cast, including Michael Douglas and Kiefer Sutherland, but the material just wasn’t compelling enough to hold my interest. The film’s biggest flaw is using too many of the bad elements from superior movies of the same genre.

Take the Lead (B-)

This the new Antonio Banderas vehicle based on actual events won’t win any originality contests, but manages to work, thanks to a solid cast and some nice work by director Liz Friedlander.

Thank You for Smoking (A-)

A razor-sharp satire that’s smart and funny and features a great performance by Aaron Eckhart. It’s been almost 10 years since Eckhart first broke on the scene in “In the Company of Men,” but this may be the first film since that captures his incredible talents.

The Wild (C-)

This latest Disney film was much better the first time I saw, when it was called “Madagascar.” Young kids might enjoy this, but it would probably be a lot cheaper to rent the superior film than spend money on this inferior one.