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Here's a look at the new movies that I saw this week.

The Lorax

Starring the voices of: Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Ed Helms, Betty White, and Danny DeVito

Synopsis: For years, the stories of Dr. Seuss have been entertaining generations of young people. The stories have been turned into TV specials, animated features, and live-action film adaptations. Typically, you know what to expect from a Dr. Seuss tale. There will be bright, colorful sets and characters, it will be kid friendly, and there will be some memorable rhyme schemes. This is somewhat true for the latest adaptation, “The Lorax,” though it’s clearly been adapted for a modern audience. And then there’s the seemingly heavy-handed environmentalism message that pervades the entire 86-minute run time. The film ends with a direct quote from Dr. Seuss, and from “The Lorax.” The quote eludes to the idea that if someone doesn’t stand up and advocate a change, things will keep getting worse. This was the point of the Seuss book when it was released in 1971. In the book he says, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it's not.” And that is the theme of the whole film. Director Chris Renaud (“Despicable Me”) does a lot to give this material a modern feel. The script from Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul (“Hop” and “Despicable Me”) try to keep the dialogue hip and modern, and they add in what they must feel are catchy musical numbers. This is where I would offer a critique of the film. First, it seems wrong to have stripped the essential tenants of Dr. Seuss from the show. Second, the musical numbers are awkward and awful. They are not catchy, they don’t add to the presentation, and they seem overly forced. That being said, it is a kids film. Likely those will play better with the youth audience, but it’s just not that effective in reaching older audiences. Another critique I would have is the overly preachy nature of the story. It feels like an 86-minute lecture about the future destruction of our planet. In fact, in some ways, the film feels like the animated companion piece to “An Inconvenient Truth.” Obviously that is a major part of the source material, but it just feels very in-your-face the way it is done in the film. The film does a nice job of adding some humor, using its voice actors well, and creating a bright, colorful film that moves along at a good pace. “The Lorax” accomplishes what it sets out to do in terms of telling a story and offering entertainment for younger viewers, it just fails to create the kind of dynamic presentation that will appeal to audiences of all ages. Though the film might inspire you to plant a tree or recycle your water bottle afterward.

Rating: PG for mild language.

Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:

March 9 — "John Carter," "Silent House," "A Thousand Words."

March 16 — "21 Jump Street," "Casa de mi Padre"

March 23 — "The Hunger Games"

March 30 — "Mirror, Mirror," "Wrath of the Titans"