"Ted"

If you enjoy Fox TV's raunchy cartoon "Family Guy," then this is the movie for you. And if you don't, stay far, far away.

"Ted" was written, directed and co-stars "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane as the voice of a foul-mouthed teddy bear who magically comes to life. The incongruously cute Ted is lifelong friends with flesh-and-bones Mark Wahlberg, who is struggling to shift his life into adult gear, as his girlfriend (Mila Kunis) is demanding. The humor focuses exclusively on sex, drugs and pop culture references, which cracks me up and offends many others. The plot is nonexistent, but the base jokes fly fast and furious.

Hard to imagine many women or seniors enjoying this movie. Not appropriate for teens under 14 years old. (R: Sex, language and drugs). 1 hour and 46 minutes.

Ratings (out of 4 stars):

Overall: 2½ stars

Kids: N/A

Teens: 3½ stars

Adults: 2½ stars

Seniors: 1 star

Should you watch it? Yes -- for fans of bawdy humor only.

"The Campaign"

Politically themed movies rarely work. There are a few exceptions, but the cinematic graveyard is littered with films as appealing as Ross Perot's wardrobe.

The film before us falls in to the burgeoning subpar category. It doesn't help that most of the republic is

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still recovering from an all-politics diet leading up to the election. But those of you who are fans of Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, of which I count myself, will be tempted to watch. That would be a mistake.

Ferrell plays a pompous, out-of-touch congressman being challenged for re-election by Galifianakis as an effeminate, right-wing stalking horse for faux Koch brothers.

There are some funny moments, largely thanks to Ferrell's ability to make fun of himself, but the path Galifianakis chooses to take with his character doesn't even remotely work. The script feels tired, and so will you after wasting an hour and half watching it.

Best for kids 13 years old and up. (R: Sexual and language). 1 hour and 25 minutes.

Ratings (out of 4 stars):

Overall: 1½ stars

Kids: N/A

Teens: 2 stars

Adults: 1½ stars

Seniors: 1 star

Should you watch it? No -- lame-duck comedy plummets off humor cliff.

"The Odd Life of Timothy Green"

Is a well-meaning film that the entire family can watch worth seeing it if it's boring? Sometimes the arguments around finding a film that multiple generations can and will watch negates the value of trying to have a family movie night in the first place. This little-engine-that-can't of a movie might be one of those compromise films that no one likes but everyone can watch.

Jennifer Garner plays an uptight wife so desperate for a child that one miraculously grows out of her garden. The Pinocchio-esque plant boy is an ideal son, but nirvana can only last so long, and that's when the movie becomes downright silly.

Appropriate for kids as young as 7 years old. (PG: Mature themes and mild language). 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Ratings (out of 4 stars):

Overall: 2 stars

Kids: 3 stars

Teens: 1½ stars

Adults: 2 stars

Seniors: 2 stars

Should you watch it? Yes -- barely passable family film if you can't find anything else.

J.B. Alderman lives in Piedmont and can be reached at jason@alderman.net.