The film starts with some really cool scenes on the Moon in the 1960s with astronauts coming across a massive spaceship type thing with Transformers inside. Fast forward years to present day when Sam is struggling to get his first job and dealing with the ‘stress’ of having a hot girlfriend Carly (model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley) making all the money. After nabbing his first job, Sam almost immediately finds a reason to slack off with the impending “end of the world” as the Decepticons try to defeat the Transformers and humankind. I loved the scenes with Washington, D.C. as the backdrop. It added to the historic moments of the film and use of JFK scenes.

The visuals of the Decepticons and Transformers were great. I enjoy taking in all the detail of the robots, I especially loved Sentinel Prime and his goatee. (Like I said I can’t comment a lot on plot depth compared to the other two). I liked the plot twists between the Decepticons and Transformers and using them against each other.

The romance between Sam and Carly while it felt authentic, was a waste of time. In the end you realize why it was necessary to move the plot forward. I will say the actress makes for good eye candy. Supporting roles filled by Josh Duhamel, John Turturro, Patrick Dempsey, and Francis McDormand were some of the better parts of the film. I especially like the dynamic between Patrick Dempsey’s character, Carly’s hot, rich boss, and Sam. The machismo and competing egos were enough to make a girl swoon. Sir Critic says, “In the ‘adult’ roles, you have not one, not two, but three veterans of Coen Brothers movies: John Turturro, John Malkovich, and Frances McDormand, all having a high old time slumming it for you. I imagine Joel and Ethan must be giggling their butts off.”

Like Sir Critic says well, the film was TOO long. He says, “At two and a half hours, it’s too long by at least 30 minutes. I suppose you (director Michael Bay) were responding to complaints that the putrid second movie had too little personality in it, but you really ought to stop wasting your time with pathos. You’re not very good at it. When you attempt it, all that “emotion” seems silly and hollow. When the most touching relationship is between a boy and his car, it seems silly to aim for more than that.” Read his full review here.

Life in Flight : This was an uber short movie, well only an hour and 20 minutes. It perfectly weaves the chaotic life of Will (Patrick Wilson) as he meets a striking young woman he can’t stop running into, leads her on and fails to mention his perfectly overwhelming wife Catherine (Amy Smart). Meanwhile his career as a developer is taking off. This film from writer-director Tracey Hecht is her first and she was able to develop the characters in a meaningful, interesting way that kept me on my toes. All of the characters are easy to empathize with but sometimes I still found myself puzzled by their actions.

Not Since You: This was a film in which I loved some of the characters and couldn’t stand the others. Eight college friends reunite for a wedding about a decade later. Sam (Desmond Harrington) and Amy (Kathleen Robertson) were engaged years ago but she moved on after he left unexpectedly. Upon seeing her again, Sam is googly-eyed and wants her back. That plot line kind of dragged on and overshadowed the more redeeming parts about the friends that did have actual depth and thoughtful personalities. Sara Rue and Elden Henson had the best storyline of being the shy, unlucky-in-love folks who fall for each other.

Rabbit Hole: This was a very slow-paced film about a depressing topic — child dies and the happily married couple is left behind to fall apart — but it was so well-acted by Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart that I was pulled into the character’s lives and wanted to see how they would learn to cope with their tragedy. The characters were pretty well fleshed out and I could see eachother’s motivations. But they were so cold to each other that it was hard for me to picture them as a happy family. It made it hard to invest in them as a couple and not just individuals.

The Hangover Part II: Maybe I just loved the The Hangover too much, but this movie absolutely paled in comparison to the side-splitting laughs in the first one. It was flat, unoriginal (no surprise there), and just not very funny. The directors thought wrong the same shit could sell twice and keep the viewer entertained. While some were quick to actually like it, I just can’t appreciate it. But I’m the first to admit I put A LOT of stock into this film and was sucked into the come-down that resulted from The Hangover. I think that’s why I’m so critical of it.

The Other Woman: This was definitely an interesting, while boring film at the same time. Natalie Portman plays Emilia, a young and determined student, while Scott Cohen plays Jack, her sexy teacher who is willing to risk his perfect family (Lisa Ludrow) for a taste of the ripe pupil. The dynamic between Emilia and Jack’s son was the funniest part of the film because they butted heads so terribly. The film would have been more successful if more time had been spent with Jack before his divorce, when he was with his wife and child. It would have helped me decide if I should be on this guy’s side or not? He was sort of vapid and I didn’t know his motive.

Two Lovers: This was a very strange, slow-moving film. Hmm, seems to be a trend this round of films. However I did like the depth of the plot and the film was very relateable when you got down to its core. Joaquin Phoenix plays Leonard, a 30-something man that still lives with his parents. He is one weird man and I don’t know how, but he had two women vying for his attention (Gwyneth Paltrow and Vinessa Shaw.) Shaw’s character was weak but I really liked the free-spirited woman played by Paltrow. The film explores the themes of love and insecurity. At it’s core, the film’s about settling for a second choice when the first falls through. Now, that’s applicable to everything in life.

Salt: This film wasn’t as entertaining as I was hoping. Like always, Angelia Jolie, as a Russian spy, was a joy to watch. I did like some of the action sequences. However the film was very gray and blurred together. Supporting role by Liev Schreiber was a great character and I loved the dynamic between him and Jolie. Definitely some good twists in the film.

All Good Things: The movie is based on the true story of Robert Durst (David Marks in the film), son of a very wealthy New York real estate mogul. It takes place in the 1970s and tells of the quick marriage of Durst (Ryan Gosling) and Katie (Kirsten Dunst), and bizarre missing persons case of Katie. Who remains considered missing, 29 years later. Gosling’s character is crazy, schizophrenic-style. It was so interesting to learn of this high-profile New York case that I had never heard of. I did research on the real case and subsequent murders and trials. It’s a good read.

Let me start this with saying I am extra biased in favor of all things Scream. Since the original film in 1996, this has, and always will be, my favorite trilogy. Granted I was eight when the first film came out but it wasn’t long after that I saw it. When a see a reference or hear someone talking about the trilogy I get as giddy and giggly as a school girl. Not joking. Director Wes Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Last House of the Left) has done for the horror genre what Picasso and say, The Rolling Stones did for their areas of expertise. But a lot of credit is due to writer Kevin Williamson (Teaching Mrs. Tingle, I Know What You Did Last Summer). That name is sorely left out when hearing about the Screams and the writing, dialogue and wit truly makes these films.

Co-reviewer Eric Robinette shares a similar love to the original Scream, “I saw the original Scream last year, and it holds up extremely well. It’s always been my favorite film by Wes Craven – yes, even more so than Nightmare on Elm Street. It was  the rare horror film that was sharp, funny scary and bloody.”

The synopsis is pretty well-known at this point. For more than 10 years, Sidney Prescott has been haunted by a killer motivated by the mistakes of her mother. After countless encounters with three different teams of two murderers, Prescott, now a self-help author, returns home. Duh, first mistake Sidney, but if we didn’t have naive characters what would we have?Besides the typical abundance of gore/blood scenes, most notable in this film are the endless movie/pop culture references. Whether it’s to the original Scream, other films, TV shows, film critiques of the horror genre, campiness, the references made by the writer-director duo are much appreciated by major film fans. Especially, ones to the torture-porn era of Saw where more gore trumps character development, Shaun of the Dead, “Heros,” Robert Rodriguez, endless sequels and money-making ways of the industry, etc.

Robinette says, “Moreover, in the years since, quality has drained from American horror movies like guts drain from a carcass in the “torture porn” movies – a phenomenon Scream 4 cannily acknowledges right off the bat.”

The most obvious references to the 1996 film include Steve tied to chair on the back porch, Billy as crazy boyfriend/suspect, the way Tatum was killed by garage, Dewey’s stupidity but life-saving abilities, Sidney’s father bound in closest about to be framed, Billy and Stuart stabbing each other, killer never dies the first time, etc. Throughout the film I found myself “awwing” to the film like I would a romantic moment in a rom-com because of my fond love of the trilogy.

While I loved the references, Robinette thought they were sometimes over-the-top, saying, “Scream 4 does not forget to be scary, even if It does push too many “We know all the film references” buttons. If a person were nudging at me as often as this film does, I’d have that person brought up on assault  charges. The film didn’t need to try so hard. The references are clever, yes — but they’re not the only reason the Scream series exists. Craven stages a number of very effective scares, including a suspenseful parking garage attack, and one scene where a character goes on a major masochistic streak is genuinely unnerving.”

As for the three main characters Prescott (Neve Campbell), now Sheriff Dewey Riley (David Arquette), and Gale Weathers-Riley (Courtney Cox), they were all great to see again in action, teaming up to find and defeat the killer(s). While Prescott has always been a brave character, in this film she epitomized someone willing to continuously risk her life trying to save others. I was happy to see Dewey and Gale as a successful married couple (too bad it didn’t last in real life) because as Gale put it the two really did solve all the murders as a team.

I was impressed by how well the line-up of younger actors delivered in their characters/lines/nuances, etc. Hayden Panettiere as the hot film buff Kirby was probably my favorite character in terms of the new cast. Emma Roberts as Prescott’s cousin Jill was so-so; her acting was really good up until it became over-the-top. But I have to think of it in terms of the bigger picture, in which her exaggerated acting works. This would be way too long of a review if I listed all the new characters but I enjoyed those played by Marley Shelton (Grindhouse, Sugar & Spice), Shenae Grimes (“90210″), Anthony Anderson, Rory Culkins, Adam Brody, and Alison Brie (“Community”).

I don’t want to say too much about the film’s opening because well that would be rude of me. But I loved the many references to social network sites like Facebook and Twitter. It was absolutely hilarious and a great comment on our generation’s reliability and naivety for them. The film made great use of foreshadowing, a lot of which isn’t picked up on until the killer is revealed — at least for me. The writer and director definitely threw in a lot of plot twists/characters solely to throw the viewer off guard, which I appreciated.

Read Robinette’s full review here.

Gnomeo and Juliet : Such a fun watch of a spin-off of the famous Romeo and Juliet. If you don’t already love those cute little gnomes you will after this. The film shares the thoughtful, conflicted themes evident in the Shakespheare tragedy but is modernized and witty.

Hall Pass : It’s a typical crude and humorous guy flick chock-full of naked chicks (and men), big egos and debauchery. Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis were very memorable and dead on with their delivery of quips. But the leading female roles were forgettable and dull. Jenna Fischer and Christina Applegate have seen better roles but do you expect from a Machismo script like such? The Farrelly brothers have done better (There’s Something About Mary, Shallow Hall).

Mother and Child : This film really surprised me. It completely flew under the radar. The 2009 film by Rodrigo Garcia (Nine Lives) stars Naomi Watts, Annette Bening and Samuel Jackson and is an account of each character’s exposure to abortion and being a single mother.

Scream 4 : An in-depth review will be written later this week after I see it a second time. I was hesitant at first because of my supreme love of the original Wes Craven trilogy. But this film lived up to expectations, surprised me in many parts, and paid good homage to the first Scream.

Bridesmaids : Thanks to a free preview screening I got to enjoy this Hangover-caliber film just for women! This movie starring Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and Rose Byrne follows a group of bridesmaids leading up to a very stressful wedding. The hilarious adventures were perfectly matched with tender, emotional moments between the characters.

Full Metal Jacket : I willing to admit that I just saw this film for my first time. (Sad, I know). I’ve always wanted to see it. But damn, I’m upset I waited so long to finally watch this. The “first-hand” account of life for a Vietman War soldier was intense and emotion-provoking. Though, I will say the “bathroom scene” I’ve heard about for years was no where near as shocking, intense as I thought it would be.

The Burning Plain : Out of all the films I’ve watched recently, this one surprised me the most. The complex, character-driven plot is shown to the audience out of order and throughout entire lives. It reveals the ins and outs of two families and their unique and shocking bond. It wasn’t Charlie Theron’s most memorable role but Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone) really stood out as a grade-A actress.

The Informers : Do not even bother with this vapid, shallow film based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis. Yes, given his track record I should have expected a look into the gritty, spoiled L.A. lifestyle. But this film tried, and failed, to “shock” the audience with its drug use and titty shots but it was just over-done.

Grown Ups : I only watched this for my love of Kevin James. But I was pleasantly surprised by the other good roles. It was a step up to the recent flops Adam Sandler has touched (You Don’t Mess With the Zohan). Chris Rock, David Spade, and Rob Schneider all had hilarious characters from a group of childhood friends reunited decades later.

Dinner for Schmucks : I usually can’t stand the characters played by Steve Carell but he was so funny in this film that I just can’t deny it. He plays a ridiculous, oblivious taxidermist that is taken under the wing of Paul Rudd to be later exploited for a few laughs by ignorant wealths. The film’s director is known for the Austin Powers and Meet the Parents films, so you know it’s going to be funny.

Insidious : Finally, a film that actually scared me!! After a long hiatus of never being scared by the lackluster thriller/horror films being pumped out right now, this film’s suspense and imagery did the trick for me. The film portrays a realm called the Further in a very creepy, twist-taking way.

Rango : This animated take on life for a lonely chameleon was a perfect mix of childish and adult wit and plot lines. I really like how animated flicks as of late have something to offer both kids and the parents stuck going to them. Johnny Depp was admittedly good. But what I liked best about this film was the great depiction of the quirky animals/reptiles within the deserted land off the highway.

Eric Robinette didn’t like the film so much, saying, “The movie had potential — but it failed to live up to it … The story focuses on the characters, and the lead actors are all solid. Then, it devolves into an elaborate demo reel for visual effects artists and sound editors.” Robinette also called the film “soulless and mechanical.”

Maybe it just went over my head, but I didn’t think we ever got the motive for why the Mogadorians needed to kill the young aliens. Or if we did, it wasn’t motive enough. They basically want to kill everyone, so why make it more complicated by going in sequence? Anyway, John (Alex Pettyfer) is the main character, he’s alien number four that’s currently being hunted. He’s got super-strength and can make light come out of his hands (silly). Of course, John quickly falls for Sarah (Dianna Agron) at the latest city he and his guardian Henri (Tim Olyphant) find themselves in, Paradise, Ohio. There’s even a shout out to Dayton in the film.

While the relationship between John and Sarah develops and strengthens, so does the hunt for his blood. The Mogadorians were very mysterious creatures that kept heavily feeding a caged up beast that the audience didn’t see until the last 30 minutes. At the same time, there was a shape shifter following John’s every move and it was really hard to tell if it was a good or bad being. Suspense built up pretty well throughout the film. As well the film’s imagery during the action film’s was good — I mainly liked seeing the big beasts fight each other.

The relationships were a strong part of the film. Sarah and John have in common the fact that they are stifled by the environments around them and they are never able to reach their full potential because of selfish people holding them back. Agron (“Glee”) was a standout in this film. As well, the relationship between Henri and John was a thoughtful one because they were like father and son. Henri was very protective of John and made the ultimate sacrifice. Even the friendships that develop between John and the geeky Sam (Callan McAuliffe) and bully Mark (Jake Abel) were enjoyable to watch on-screen. Pretty much all the relationships had relatable moments that made them more sincere.

The whole film I kept waiting for the character of Number 6, played by Teresa Palmer, to step into the frame. From the trailer it seemed she would be a large part of the film, but she ended up having little time at all. Her screen time was just enough to break up the focus on John and Sarah. Robinette says, “The character of Number 6 is so thinly written, she might as well be called “Hot Chick Who Kicks Ass in the Last Reels.” And I could see the final “twist” of the big battle scene coming about three country miles away.”

It’s hard to believe Pettyfer is such a young star. At 20 and with not much experience, he did great in the film. He’s also in the upcoming Beastly, a modern-day Beauty and the Beast, which looks terrible! But then again if it’s got Vanessa Hudgens and Mary-Kate Olsen it’s bound to be bad, right?

Read Robinette’s full review here.

Throughout the film director Lee (The Ice Storm, Brokeback Mountain) focuses mainly on the transformation of Elliot — which just happens to be propelled by the merging of hundreds of thousands of people from different walks of life right in his backyard. After years of stifling his own future to help his parents, which fulfill the stereotype of stodgy Jewish people (sorry!), Elliot decides to take life into his own hands. Elliot helped make the Woodstock event happen — when the event’s planned venue revokes its permit, Elliot suggests his town as the perfect location.

While I like watching Elliot’s transformation, I also liked seeing his own parents open up and become more sensitive. Jake and Sonia (played by Henry Goodman and Imelda Staunton) are stuck in a rut. They run a crappy motel, but it’s not by bad luck. His mother is so stingy with their money that she almost sabotages their livelihood. By the film’s end even Elliot’s parents can’t deny the power of opening your mind to others — even if they did it unknowingly via hash brownies. Which is one of the film’s more hilarious moments.

I would have liked if the film’s pace was a little quicker, but I guess that’s what we get with an Ang Lee film. Too much of the film was leading up to the momentous event. I think less of the planning of the event and more of Elliot meeting people and experiencing life’s mind-altering opportunities would have been more entertaining.

The film’s supporting cast brought about some of the most memorable moments. Jonathan Groff (“Glee”) as Michael Lang — co-creator of Woodstock — was outstanding at portraying the hippie vibe/optimism that ‘everything will work out.’ Liev Schreiber (Scream) as a trans-gender bodyguard was one of my favorite characters. He was a sensitive person but happened to kick ass too. Other noteworthy characters were played by Eugene Levy, a local farmer who lets Woodstock occur on his expansive land, Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild), a scarred Vietnam veteran, and Dan Fogler as the leader of a free-spirited theater troupe.

Eric Robinette was in the same boat, “I was actually rather surprised I loved the film. Typically, I’m not into what a friend of mine once called “tea party movies” — otherwise known as period pieces.”

Colin Firth as Prince Albert and then King George VI was outstanding. He portrayed the conflict and yearning for acceptance someone with such a closed, private life must feel. As the pressure to take a leadership role as King comes barreling down on the shy ‘Bertie,’ he must face his demons — his bullying brother King Edward VIII (Guy Pearce) and rest of family, stammering, a closed-mind, trusting others.

Robinette says, “With Firth’s performance, that wasn’t hard for me. Albert has tremendous issues, to be sure, but Firth must also convey a strength and resolve in spite of them, and Firth does so with the kind of sure-handedness that doesn’t seem so much like acting. He simply is the king.”

Firth’s character was able to go from stubborn and shy to opening up and letting himself have a true friendship with his unconventional but hilarious speech therapist Lionel (Geoffrey Rush). Rush almost stole the show for me. He played such a thoughtful character that just happened to use tough love as his approach for getting King George over the big hump that was his low self-esteem.

Robinette sums up the dynamic between Firth and Rush’s characters, “Firth and Rush both shine in their roles. The film surprised me by being so funny, and that’s due primarily to Rush’s work. His character has no qualms about breaking rules, cracking jokes and making people mad to get results. Most importantly, he sees a regal bearing in Albert that most people don’t — and the crucial part is getting Albert not only to speak it but believe it.” Read his full review here.

Pearce’s character was such an interesting one to me. He was the ‘rebel’ family member that basically quit his role as King to marry an American woman. He seemed lost with what he wanted from life and put down his brother to feel better about himself. Carter as Queen Elizabeth was a sharp role. She brought humor and loyalty to the character and was enjoyable to watch. Robinette says, “Truly, every performance, large and small, is outstanding. Carter brings a pleasing light touch to her role as the long-suffering but steadfast wife.”

Eric Robinette agrees about Kutcher’s caliber of performance, “He’s absolutely fine in his part, even if he’ll never have chops as good as Portman’s. Still, he’s quite convincing when he does actually fall for Portman, and hey, who can blame the guy?”

Emma is a budding doctor that for reasons unknown doesn’t believe in two people falling in love and staying in love. She says she has an “emotional peanut allergy.” She has random run-ins with Adam since their first meeting at summer camp at the age 14. Adam has his own relationship problems with his hot European girlfriend choosing his wrinkly father (Kevin Kline) over him. For the film’s first half, the relationship between Kutcher and Portman did feel forced to me. But as their characters started to care for each other more it became real on the screen. I liked watching the evolution of their casual friendship into one of caring adoration.

Robinette agrees the chemistry increased as their relationship became more heated, “When Emma and on-again/off-again acquaintance Adam begin sleeping together, she suggests keeping it strictly sexual, and Adam is fine with that — but it’s clear from the beginning there’s more to these two than what goes on between the sheets — or between the water droplets or wherever they happen to be doing the deed.” Read his full review here.

The supporting cast was one of the best parts of the film. From Ludacris and Jake Johnson (Get Him to the Greek) as Adam’s best guy friends, to Olivia Thirlby (Juno) and Greta Gerwig (Greenberg) and Mindy Kaling (“The Office”)  as Emma’s sister and best friends, the cast worked off each other perfectly. There was a natural razzing between the actors that made their characters that much more realistic. What I think tied the film’s characters together in the end was the modern and witty writing of Elizabeth Meriwether, which still managed to touch on the well-known themes of courting, affection, jealously.

The film poses the simple and very common question: Can two people have no strings attached sex without falling for the other? I know my answer.

The Green Hornet was a fast-paced, entertaining and certainly unconventional action hero tale of two men whose lives are in flux. Brought to you by some of the men of the Superbad and Pineapple Express: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg (writer), James Franco, Michael Gondry (director), etc. Britt Reid (Rogen) inherits his father’s business after his death and it happens to be Los Angeles’ largest and most influential newspaper. With this new-found insight into the underground crime world in the gritty city, Reid decides to take matters into his own hands … or at least the hand’s of his sidekick.

Kato (Jay Chou) is definitely Hollywood’s up-and-coming fill-in for the John Cho-type characters (Harold & Kumar). And I’m okay with that, because he rocked as the brains and might of the Green Hornet and nameless sidekick duo. He’s a mechanic’s wet dream and created some badass vehicles for maximum ass-kicking.

Eric Robinette agrees, saying, “Rogen’s shtick of a rowdy layabout has worn out its welcome and become grating. So it’s a good thing that Jay Chou mitigates Rogen with a fun turn as Kato, the role made famous by Bruce Lee.”

That said, it was sometimes hard to watch the ‘friendship’ between Reid and Chou develop because I felt pity for Chou. He was mistreated by the selfish Reid who’s been spoiled his whole life. Reid was constantly putting down Chou and taking credit for everything. Reid never really developed an appreciation and thankfulness to Chou. Even by the film’s end, any kindness Reid gave to Chou was minimal. But at the same time, Chou rarely displayed anything resembling a backbone. He should have stood up for himself and let Reid fall on his face … at least once, just to teach him a lesson.

The film’s action scenes were highly scripted but in an interesting way. Chou’s supreme mental and fighting skills were so good and the viewer got a little glimpse into how his mind worked. But the scenes were just over-the-top in a way that I absolutely hate. Hence, why I rarely see action films — I have little to no suspension of disbelief. I saw the film in IMAX 3-D which really heightened the action scenes but otherwise was not noticeable.

Robinette liked the action, saying, “Director Michel Gondry certainly isn’t working on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind level here, but he’s clearly having fun with visual devices like split screens, and he stages the action well.”

The supporting cast was huge. And all fairly good. Reid’s father, and newspaperman, James Reid (Tom Wilkinson) didn’t have a lot of screen time but his character was very important to the plot. He was a moral man but was still susceptible to the bribes and desires of the society we live in, which made him almost the most relateable character of the film. Cameron Diaz plays young Reid’s ‘hot’ assistant but she seems to have lost just a slight bit of her spark since the good days of There’s Something About Mary and Charlie’s Angels. It was nice though to see Diaz playing an intelligent character. Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds) supplied the viewer with good comedic relief as Chudnofsky, a fledgling villain losing his footing as L.A.’s prime drug lord. Also notable was Edward James Olmos as a newspaper editor.

The Dilemma was another enjoyable comedy that covered dramatic themes not usually broached in lighter films. Ronny (Vince Vaughn) and Nick (Kevin James) are BFFs and business partners in an auto company. They strike up a deal with Chrysler and are finally getting their big break for a new idea. As the pressure builds with that, timing couldn’t be worse for Ronny to find out Nick’s wife Geneva (Winona Ryder) is cheating with a young musician (Channing Tatum).

But like all things, nothing meets the eye and Ronny finds that out as he ‘investigates’ more into the lives of his good friends. At the same time, Ronny is struggling to find the right timing for proposing to his own girlfriend Beth (Jennifer Connelly). But all this drama was balanced fairly well with the comedic moments. It was refreshing to have a “serious comedy.” There aren’t too many of them around. It makes the drama easier to handle and the silly moments more tangible.

Robinette didn’t like this switch from serious to funny, “The ads sell the movie as a comedy, but it’s only comedic in spurts. Long stretches of it are actually serious and sobering. The storyline in and of itself isn’t the problem, it’s the shifts in tone around it.”

James and Vaughn made a great duo. They are absolutely hilarious together and play off each other well. But James definitely shines a little brighter than Vaughn in this film. It’s been a couple years since we’ve seen Vaughn in anything — Couples Retreat in 2009 and Four Christmases in 2008 — and his character was kind of same-old-same-old.

Winona Ryder was good in the film and is definitely making a bit of a comeback, with Black Swan as well — whether I like it or not. She does play bitch well. The under-developed role Jennifer Connelly got stuck with did her absolutely no justice. Her character was weak, and Connelly can be such a strong actress. The aforementioned Tatum was notable as Geneva’s side piece. And Queen Latifah was definitely note-worthy as a Chrysler business partner. Ron Howard as the film’s director was kind of average. He’s definitely performed better (A Beautiful Mind, Frost/Nixon).

Robinette ends with, “The movie as a whole manages to feel overdone and half baked at the same time. As written by Allan Loeb, the drama is too intense, and the comedy isn’t funny enough to alleviate it.” Read his full reviews here.

Eric Robinette says, “The film lurches from scene to scene with no momentum and no connective tissue between the scenes. There was a good idea for a movie, but somewhere along the line, that good idea got lost. Brooks’ screenplay was under-written before he shot it, and/or it was overcooked after he edited it.”

The film’s intersecting plot lines were dizzying and part of the reason the film fell flat for me. As a viewer I didn’t get to really know the characters because too many of them got too much screen time. Lisa (Reese Witherspoon) is an aging softball player that is devastated after being cut from the team. At this hectic time in her life she starts dating George (Paul Rudd), an innocent man being investigated for fraud, as well as Matty (Owen Wilson), a professional baseball player and womanizer.Wilson’s character was the only really funny person in the film. He can make any line funny with his nuances. Witherspoon has some funny moments and mannerisms but doesn’t seem fully comfortable in a leading comedic role. The ‘romance’ between Lisa and her men felt forced and had no sincerity.

Other roles were filled by Jack Nicholson, as George’s prick of a father, and Kathryn Hahn (How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days), George’s assistant. Hahn was pretty funny in the film, but her character wasn’t really needed. Nicholson’s roles are becoming more and more tired. He always plays the same character: an angry asshole. Robinette says of Nicholson, “Nicholson’s acting is weirdly manic, with his character launching into rants that seem to be there solely to provide a few “Jack” moments, but none of them register.”

Robinette agrees the film isn’t really noteworthy for anyone involved, “The characters talk with such self-consciousness and self-importance that I wanted them to shut the hell up. This should not have happened considering all the players here, who also include Owen Wilson, Jack Nicholson and writer-director Brooks. Sadly, none of these great talents is firing at all thrusters in How Do You Know. Worse, some of them are misfiring.” Full review here.