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Here's a look at the films I saw this week — including the new "Transformers" film.

Bad Teacher

Starring: Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Lucy Punch, and Jason Segel

Synopsis: When a movie gets universally middling reviews, I start to get worried. When it's score on Rotten Tomatoes bottoms out, I really start to get worried. So even though, based on the trailer, I thought "Bad Teacher" would be funny, I was starting to wonder how bad it would be heading in. Then a funny thing happened — when I watched it I was entertained and laughed, quite a few times. So I guess that means one of two things — I have no taste, or it's the kind of movie that appeals to some and not to others. I prefer to think that the latter is true. Diaz has never been my favorite actress, but she does a nice job in this role. Punch is weird in her supporting role, Timberlake is goofy, and Segel shows a kind of humor and depth that makes you think he should get more, bigger roles in films. Is this the greatest movie I've seen — certainly not. But I think it's on par with "Bridesmaids" and "The Hangover II" in the competition for adult comedy of the summer. It has some pretty funny moments and some pretty wild moments, and I think you see enough requisite growth in Diaz's lead character to feel like the film went somewhere.

Rating: R for sexual content, nudity, language and some drug use.

Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Cars 2

Starring the voices of: Owen Wilson, Larry The Cable Guy, Bonnie Hunt, John Turturro, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, and Eddie Izzard

Synopsis: "Cars" was one of the worst reviewed, least popular of all Pixar productions so, naturally, it needed a sequel. This film is boring, and it tries to do too many things that don't fit with the genre. There's the buddy picture, the spy picture, the fish-out-of-water picture, and the inconvenient alternative energy message. Prior to "Cars 2," Pixar included a short featuring the "Toy Story" cast. In five minutes the short is infused with humor and emotion. In two hours, "Cars 2" never gets there. Too much of the film is built around Larry The Cable Guy's Mater, and too much of it panders to the lowest common denominator in humor. If you were 4-10 years old, this movie would hold some appeal. If you're an adult hoping to be entertained as you accompany children to the movies — bring a book and a mini flash light.

Rating: G

Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Mr. Popper's Penguins

Starring: Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino, Angela Lansberry, Maxwell Perry Cotton, and Madeline Carroll

Synopsis: This is a tough movie to evaluate. There are moments of heart, laughter, and wonder in this film. Then there are moments where everything just falls flat. In some ways this movie recalls classic Jim Carrey. He has some great moments of carrying the drama and comedy, and he has a chance to show some versatility. The film just isn't consistent in its humor. The penguins add a nice touch, and this is a good family film. I found it more entertaining than some of the animated releases this year — including "Cars 2" — but it could have done more. This is a movie that will likely get lost in the summer shuffle.

Rating: PG for mild, rude humor and some language.

Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, John Turturro, Josh Duhamel, Frances McDormand, Patrick Dempsey, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Synopsis: By now everyone knows what to expect from a Michael Bay movie, which is why it makes perfect sense to merge his cinematic style with the challenge of creating the live-action world of “Transformers.” After getting off to a strong start with the original film in 2007, “Transformers” seemed to take a step back after negative reviews and fan response to 2009’s “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.” With this third installment came a promise of a better plot and better action. That plan seems to have succeeded, delivering an interesting, action-filled 157 minutes with “Transformers: Dark of the Moon.” Much like “X-Men: First Class,” this film builds its story around a classic event from American history — in this case the moon landing — which isn’t what we always thought it was. The opening sequences — which feature a mix of new action, CGI renderings of President John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon and historical news footage adds a nice touch to the production. Ehren Kruger, who worked on the script for the last installment, does a nice job crafting this story. And the film benefits from some talented performers. Ken Jeong — who has gained notoriety from his work in the “Hangover” films and on “Community” — has a fun cameo, playing of LaBeouf well. Alan Tudyk has a fun supporting role as the wacky assistant to Turturro’s Agent Simmons, while Julie White and Kevin Dunn again have some fun lines and moments as Sam’s parents. One thing that doesn’t work as well as promised is the 3-D element. In recent months there has been a backlash against 3-D, which seems to be all the rage this summer. Bay, in giving a press conference for the film, talked about the way he used the technology with “Dark of the Moon,” even touting the outdoor use of the technology. Given that, one would be justified in assuming that there would be some unique 3-D effects in the film. But that isn’t the case. Like so many blockbusters released in 3-D, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of depth to the effects or any notably cool sequences. There were certainly moments where you could see the 3-D effects incorporated, but it’s hardly breaking any new ground. That being said, the film delivers pretty much what you’d want or expect from a “Transformers” film, including a bigger, more lavish battle to close out the film. “Dark of the Moon” expands on the universe in a new way and also seems to add a bit of closure to the series. It’s the perfect kind of summer action movie that provides a few laughs, an easy to follow narrative and a couple hours of escape.

Rating: PG-13 for intense prolonged sequences of sci-fi action violence, mayhem and destruction, and for language, some sexuality and innuendo.

Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:

Friday, July 1 — "Larry Crowne," "Monte Carlo"

Friday, July 8 — "Zookeeper," "Horrible Bosses"

Friday, July 15 — "Harry Potter And the Deathly Hallows, Part 2," "Winnie The Pooh"

July 22 — "Captain America: The First Avenger," "Friends With Benefits"

July 29 — "Cowboys and Aliens," "Crazy, Stupid Love," "The Smurfs"