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Here's a look at this week's new movies.

The Watch
Starring: Jonah Hill, Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Richard Ayoade, and Rosemarie DeWitt
Synopsis: Given recent events in the real world, a movie about a militaristic group of neighborhood watch fanatics doesn’t seem like a great idea. That, of course, is the marketing challenge for “The Watch,” which opened on July 27. Given the difficulties stemming from the real-life events in Florida, the name for the film shifted and the trailers started giving away a good deal of the plot. If you watch the film, the idea of aliens doesn’t come up until 45 minutes in. Yet, that’s the whole focus of the trailers. Hence the disconnect. “The Watch” may ultimately be one of those decent movies that gets caught up in the wash of summer blockbusters and unfortunate real-life timing. Still, for those looking for an edgier adult comedy, this works well. It’s likely that the alien part of this story was meant to be a bit of a surprise. There is a lot going on in this film — which comes from Jared Stern (“Mr. Popper’s Penguins) and partners Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (“Superbad”). There are plenty of hallmarks of Rogen and Goldberg’s comedy style in this film, including the soundtrack, dialogue, and how the film flows. The film seemingly has a split focus. Part of the narrative is making fun of the kind of people that would be in a neighborhood watch, and of the whole neighborhood watch concept. There are a lot of small-town jokes, and a lot of familiar archetypes among the cast and in the town. But then there’s the whole alien plot that sort of adds a new level. There are plenty of fun times and fun lines associated with the storyline, and it gives the film a fun dimension. Director Akiva Schaeffer — a longtime contributor to “Saturday Night Live” who had one previous feature as a director in “Hot Rod” — does a nice job pacing the action and the comedy. It’s a film that flows smoothly and gets a lot of bang out of its characters, storyline, and set pieces. The cast also works well. Stiller is the ideal choice in the lead role. He brings a little bit of grounding to the group. Vaughn plays a variation of a character he’s played a dozen times before, but it works well in this ensemble. Hill, who has been on quite a roll in recent years, does a good job with his wildcard character and Ayoade does a nice job in a kind of fun role as Jamarcus. This isn’t the most original or unpredictable film, but it works. The jokes hit, the story is light, and the whole thing comes together nicely. The film doesn’t take itself too seriously, and is reasonably restrained in its comedy. It’s a pleasant surprise in a summer season that has been wildly uneven.
Rating: R for some strong sexual content including references, pervasive language and violent images. Enter with caution.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:
Friday, August 3: "Total Recall," "Diary of a Whimpy Kid: Dog Days"
Wednesday, August 8: "Hope Springs"
Friday, August 10: "Bourne Legacy," "The Campaign"
Wednesday, August 15: "The Odd Life of Timothy Green"
Friday, August 17: "Expendables 2," "Paranorman," "Sparkle"
Friday, August 24: "Premium Rush," "The Apparition," "Hit and Run"
Friday, August 31: "Lawless," "The Possession"