A harmless if largely uninspired musical comedy offering that casts Jim Henson’s puppet creations on a globe-trotting adventure, Muppets Most Wanted shrugs, sings, wings and winks its way through a caper narrative, figuring or hoping that simply consistently acknowledging its shambolic narrative will somehow translate as wit. A lesser effort than its predecessor in every way, this cheerful confection will largely appease younger viewers but leave older audiences unstirred. For the full, original review, from Screen Daily, click here. (Disney, PG, 108 minutes)

The Art of the Steal boasts one of those interchangeable and instantly forgettable titles, though in its mind it’s a clever double entendre, since writer-director Jonathan Sobol’s con movie centers around the theft of paintings, sculpture and a Gutenberg-printed fifth holy gospel. See… art! How one feels about that wink and nudge, as well as their personal threshold for colorful characters over engaging plotting, will likely dictate the level of enjoyment they obtain from this derivative but hard-working crime comedy, starring Kurt Russell, Matt Dillon, Jay Baruchel and others. The thing that most recommends The Art of the Steal is the manner in which it basically owns the fact that it’s, ahem, totally familiar. If the plot specifics, which involve counterfeiting and other fake-outs, are basically a huge yawn, Sobol wisely keeps seriousness at bay, infusing his effort with a springy energy. For the full, original review, from Paste, click here. (Weinstein Company/Alliance Films, PG-13, 90 minutes)