OVERRATED / UNDERRATED

OVERRATED

‘Mary and Max’ (2009): Like a warped offspring from the “Wallace & Gromit” universe, this Australian stop-motion animated film featuring the voices of Philip Seymour Hoffman and Toni Collette isn’t for kids, but its heart is in the right place. A vaguely twisted story of a young misfit’s pen pal relationship with an anxiety-plagued obese man in New York City, the warmth in the film’s central friendship carries more humanity than many live-action films.

Washed Out: The musical alter ego of Georgia native Ernest Greene, this mostly electronic artist was behind the dreamily depressed opening music for IFC’s “Portlandia.” Though that song doesn’t appear on Washed Out’s recently released album for Pacific Northwest label Sub Pop, “Within and Without” lives up to the project’s name with shoegazey synth textures and distant vocals, but the winsome melodies keep everything in vivid color.

UNDERRATED

‘The Trip’: Starring British comics Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon on a mockumentary-styled dining excursion to the north of London, this film ultimately feels as if you’re trapped on vacation with two obnoxious friends.

The film has its moments, such as a nuanced public face-off between two Michael Caine impressions, but its repetitive reliance on amplifying the actors’ least pleasant attributes leaves the movie running on fumes.

‘Young, Broke & Beautiful’ on IFC: Traveling on a budget is clearly the way to go these days, but as handy as some tips are by blogger-turned-TV-personality Stuart Schuffman, his show falls short on the payoff. A tireless self-promoter, Schuffman simply can’t stop repeating his unprintable catchphrase describing his mode of travel, and with predictable stops at tiki bars and steampunk gatherings, his tastes aren’t as edgy as he thinks.

-- Chris Barton