The last month of the summer movie season kicks off with the debut of arguably the season’s biggest comedy – “The Other Guys” which should have no trouble shaking up the box office this weekend. “Step Up 3-D” also opens wide this weekend, hoping to fool unsuspecting moviegoers into thinking it’s something more than an extended music video. With only three legitimate summer movies left (“Eat Pray Love,” “The Expendables,” “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”) before the traditional end-of-summer trash hit theaters, consider this the penultimate weekend opportunity to catch up on what you’ve missed this summer.

The following is your weekend preview of the major films opening in South Florida theaters this weekend and what you should MUST SEE, SEE, WATCH AT A MATINEE, WAIT FOR THE DVD, SKIP IT or AVOID AT ALL COST!

THE OTHER GUYS

Directed by: Adam McKay

Starring: Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg,

Eva Mendes, Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne

Johnson

Rated: PG-13 (for crude and sexual content,

language, violence and some drug material)

WHAT’S IT ABOUT? NYPD Detectives Christopher Danson and P.K. Highsmith (Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson) are the baddest and most beloved cops in New York City. They don’t get tattoos – other men get tattoos of them. Two desks over and one back, sit Detectives Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell) and Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg). You’ve seen them in the background of photos of Danson and Highsmith, out of focus and eyes closed. They’re not heroes – they’re “the Other Guys.” But every cop has his or her day and soon Gamble and Hoitz stumble into a seemingly innocuous case no other detective wants to touch that could turn into New York City’s biggest crime. It’s the opportunity of their lives, but do these guys have the right stuff?

WHAT’S THE BUZZ LIKE? Both Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg are in dire need of a hit. Wahlberg hasn’t starred in a blockbuster hit since his Oscar-nominated turn in “The Departed” four years ago. Ferrell, while more successful than Wahlberg, is coming off the biggest flop of his career (“Land of the Lost”). Thus re-teaming with his frequent collaborator writer-director Adam McKay for his next project was about the wisest thing to do considering that the duo’s previous collaborations ““Anchorman,” “Talladega Nights” and “Step Brothers” were all big hits. The project is also a good departure for Wahlberg who while generally known for his tough-guy roles, has proven his comedy chops with well-received comic performances in “I Heart Huckabees” and “Date Night.” Joining Ferrell and Wahlberg on-screen are fellow stars Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Eva Mendes and Michael Keaton, which should be enough to guarantee a solid opening, regardless if the movie turns out to be a stinker or not.

WHAT’S MY TAKE ON IT? Though it may not be as good as “Anchorman,” “The Other Guys” is another fantastic comedy from writer-director Adam McKay and star Will Ferrell who is back in top form here after a string of disappointing comedies. Thanks to fantastic chemistry with fellow star Mark Wahlberg, a terrific supporting performance from Michael Keaton, strong action sequences and hilarious comedic banter between the two leads, “The Other Guys” stakes claim as the year’s funniest mainstream comedy. GRADE: B+

WHAT ARE THE CRITICS SAYING? “THE OTHER GUYS” has been receiving generally favorable reviews. The following is a sample of the grades it has been receiving from critics around the nation.
Rotten Tomatoes: 79%; Top Critics: 77%; Average Rating: 6.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes General Consensus: “While not the best collaboration between Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, ‘The Other Guys’ delivers bursts of comedy during a summer largely devoid of laughs.”
Metacritic: 64/100 (Generally Favorable Reviews)

SHOULD YOU SEE IT? While it’s no “Anchorman” or “Old School,” “The Other Guys” is still probably the funniest broad comedy of 2010. The two leads have strong chemistry and the laughs are outrageous and consistent. SEE IT.

“THE OTHER GUYS” is now playing all across South Florida.

*****

STEP UP 3-D

Directed by: Jon Chu

Starring: Sharni Vinson, Rick Malambri,

Adam G. Sevani

Rated: PG-13 (for brief strong language)

WHAT’S IT ABOUT? New York’s intense street dancing underground comes alive in eye-popping Digital 3D in the third installment of the “Step Up” franchise as the raw, passion-fueled culture goes global. A tight-knit group of street dancers, including Luke (Rick Malambri) and Natalie (Sharni Vinson), team up with NYU freshman Moose (Adam Sevani), and find themselves pitted against the world’s best breakdancers in a high-stakes showdown that will change their lives forever.

WHAT’S THE BUZZ LIKE? Warning! This is your Cash Grab Alert! Big studio executives are on the prowl for your hard-earned money and their using the lure of hot and sexy actors, jump cuts and colorful dance sequences to attract the young and naïve. They’ve done it before and they’ll do it again, but this summer, they’re bringing their latest weapon – 3-D – to steal more cash from the unsuspecting. Okay, enough with the cheesy warning bit. You’re either a fan of this type of drivel or you’re not. The first “Step Up” movie was a surprise hit in 2006. The second one was also a decent performer. Looks like “Step Up 3-D” will continue the trend and kick off decently before ending its run with a final gross in the $40 million range, despite the gimmicky 3-D. I mean, why does a movie about dancing have to be in 3-D? Do we get big butts, sweaty hair and crotches in our faces? If you enjoy wasting 13 bucks on people gyrating on-screen for an hour and a half, this is where I tell you to go “cuss” yourselves. If you’re one of the many sane people out there, you know what to do – pretend this doesn’t exist.

WHAT ARE THE CRITICS SAYING? “STEP UP 3-D” has been receiving mixed reviews. The following is a sample of the grades it has been receiving from critics around the nation.
Rotten Tomatoes: 51%; Top Critics: 63%; Average Rating: 5/10
Rotten Tomatoes General Consensus: “It may not contain believable acting or a memorable plot, but ‘Step Up 3-D’ delivers solid choreography and stunning visuals.”
Metacritic: 45/100 (Mixed or Average Reviews)

SHOULD YOU SEE IT? Hmm, if this movie isn’t a big performer, then it would be the second weekend in a row that a 3-D movie fails at the box office. Surprisingly, reviews haven’t been universally negative so if you’re really yearning to see it, then I doubt it will be a risky venture. Regardless, this is at best, a DVD rental and for people who are into break dancing (or whatever sort of thing those darned kids are into these days). SKIP IT.

“STEP UP 3-D” is now playing all across South Florida.

*****

NEXT WEEK: Although the summer movie season officially ends at the end of the month, the second weekend of August is generally the last week of legitimate summer movies as the rest of the month will be populated with end-of-summer trash i.e. B-grade horror movies, C-grade action movies, and D-grade comedies. Thankfully moviegoers get to choose between three strong pictures to close out the summer. Older women will flock to see Julia Roberts return to the genre that made her a superstar in the highly anticipated “EAT PRAY LOVE.” Older men will flock to Sylvester Stallone and his all-star cast of macho action men in the equally anticipated ““THE EXPENDABLES” The third and final wide release of the weekend will be acclaimed filmmaker Edgar Wright’s comic-book adaptation “SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD” (which I have seen and loved). which hopes to draw the hipsters and the geeks. I’ll have my reviews for all three movies up next week so be sure to check this section out next weekend.