Whit is Libby’s new boyfriend, and he’s better than Dennis in every way. Whit is an investment banker in downtown london, he runs marathons, has the eye of Libby and is a better father than Dennis. After Dennis gets arrested for trying to buy scalped tickets to The Lord of the Rings on Ice for his son Jake(Fenton), Whit shows him up with tickets for the whole family. To regain his honor, Dennis vows to run the London Marathon to prove to Libby and Jake that he is truly a man and Whit isn’t all he’s cracked up to be.

Run, Fatboy, Run is an interesting take on an old story. Guy gives up girl, girl finds someone else, guy must earn back girl. It sounds pretty straight forward, but Fatboy adds some twists and turns along the way. For example, Gordon(Moran), Dennis’ best friend and Libby’s cousin, wagers with some shady folks that Dennis will complete the marathon. If Dennis is successful, Gordon stands to make a boat-load of cash (hint-hint). Needless to say, it is in Gordon’s best interest to make sure Dennis finishes.

Pegg’s breakthrough performance in Shawn of the Dead was probably his best. The interim film, Hot Fuzz, was disappointing to put it lightly, but Pegg seems to be back in Fatboy. A good, light-hearted laugh, the film is enjoyable from start to finish. Dennis is the lovable doofus who didn’t get it right the first time, but has the potential, so we’re forced to root for him until he finally succeeds.

Her life seems perfect until Jane’s younger, more beautiful, more outgoing sister Tess(Akerman) returns home. On her first night home, Tess meet’s George, Jane’s boss. Immediately, Tess and George hit it off, at the distress of Jane, who is secretly in love with George. To Jane, Tess and George’s relationship is the stuff made of nightmares, but it only gets worse when George proposes and Jane is dragged into agreeing to plan the wedding. In spite of warnings from close friend Casey(Greer), and new acquaintance Kevin(Marsden), Jane must wrestle with her decision to plan Tess’ wedding to the man she loves.

A cute film, 27 Dresses doesn’t deliver any surprises. It follows the simple, timeless, format for a romantic comedy spun around a story about perpetually being a bridesmaid and never a bride. While it doesn’t deviate from the ‘romantic comedy’ shtick, that may be its downfall. Going into the theater, I had an idea of how the story would pan out simply from seeing the previews. My prediction coming true is a mixed blessing; good, in that I wasn’t disappointed at the ending, bad because in some sense, I wasn’t entertained.

The acting was acceptable; not Oscar worthy, but not disappointing. Jane was a good character for Heigl, allowing her to play the hot, playful, confident girl, as well as the shy, conflicted and sensitive girl. Marsden, judging by crowd reaction, was also well cast. The coordinated swooning from the women in the audience was proof enough that Marsden pulled off the cute, well-intentioned, but slightly stalkerish (in a good way) boy trying to win over the girl.

Sadly, Greer’s character Casey was almost sickening. The outlandishness of her sexuality was rather concerning. Being best friends with Jane, Casey was obviously invited to all the weddings she organized. Upsetting was the fact that Casey acted as a female ‘wedding crasher;’ only there to pick up groomsmen and act as the opposing sexual force to Jane’s demure wholesomeness.

In the end, 27 Dresses can by counted on to deliver as a romantic comedy. It should be safe to say it may end up on the top of some favorites lists, nestled between How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and The Wedding Planner.

Enter Mark(Bateman) and Vanessa Loring(Garner); the wholesome adoptive couple, whom Juno’s best friend, Leah(Thirlby) found in the PennySaver. Spearheading the journey to have the baby, Juno decides to give the child up even before telling her parents she’s expecting. After telling them, Mac(Simmons) and Bren(Janney) are understandably phased. Throughout the film, all of the characters develop and grow, culminating in the birth of the baby and the happiness of all.

After watching the film, twice, it is easy to see why Juno has already won 20 awards. The best movies are always the ones that take tough topics and present them in manageable formats. Children who are sexually active often don’t know the repercussions of their actions, and the film broaches the subject in an accessible way. No matter where your moral compass points, you’ll enjoy the lessons Juno brings. Think of it like an edgier, wittier and more intelligent Napoleon Dynamite.

My favorite part of the film was definitely the dialog. Writer Diablo Cody really hit the nail on the head with the hilarious catch phrases mixed with heart-wrenching drama. Stuff like: “That ain’t no etch-a-sketch. This is one doodle that can’t be un-did, homeskillet”; “Ow, ow, f*ckity-ow! Bren, when do I get that spinal tap thing?”; and “I named my guitar “Roosevelt”-not Ted, Franklin. You know, the hot one, with polio.” Not only was the dialog spot-on, but the casting was impeccable. Alison Janney is a favorite of mine and she performed flawlessly as Juno’s mom, Bren.

It seems everything about Juno is just right. It’s no wonder it’s already won 20 awards, and nominated for another 17. If you haven’t seen this movie, you’re missing out.

As Barry and Vanessa’s relationship blossoms, Barry discovers that humans actually eat honey. Outraged at the exploitation of honey bees for the pleasure of humans leaves Barry with only one option; sue the human race and return the honey to the bees.

To be succinct, Bee Movie is exploding with cuteness and family-friendly fun. One of the best animated films I’ve seen, it ranks up there with Toy Story and Shrek. Shows, that Dreamworks can come up with high-quality films with the best of them.

What pleased me the most about this film, as with all family-friendly animated films, is the adult humor that is snuck in for the portion of the audience over the age of 12. For example, Mooseblood(Rock), a mosquito, explains how he became a lawyer,

Ma’am, I was already a bloodsucking parasite. All I needed was a briefcase!

It is quotes like that, which make these films so enjoyable for everyone.

One pitfall of the film was the imbalance in the story. It seemed that the film didn’t flow smoothly from start to finish. There was a huge build-up of Barry’s character and his life and purpose, but soon after the trial, the film speeds up and plot points are piled on, one after another. The ending of the film seems rushed. Maybe it was the studio shortening the script, maybe Seinfeld got tired of writing. Whatever the cause, the film ended rather abruptly and left me wanting more.

Enter Dennis(Coleman), a young boy in need of a family who believes he’s on a mission from Mars. David and Dennis are two kindred souls each using their imagination to liven their worlds and shelter their hearts. Together, they help each other realize that there is still plenty worth loving here on Earth, for both humans and martians.

What drew me to this movie was the movie poster of John Cusack standing next to a box with a smile on it. Something about the image had a sorrowful yet, cute feel to it. At the time, I didn’t know it was about adoption, something that is personally meaningful to me.

This film raises many important points about the significance of being ready and capable of becoming a parent. Having kids doesn’t automatically make you a parent, it takes lots of love, patience and humility. A quote that hit me especially hard was,

I don’t want to bring another kid into this world. But how do you argue against loving one that’s already here? – David

I wouldn’t chalk this film up to being Oscar worthy; the supporting actors were simply too superficial; I do think this is one of the better films this year. The fact that it can openly address issues about adoption that Hollywood usually sugar-coats is testament to it’s brilliance.

One of the best aspects of Dan In Real Life is the convincing interaction between all members of the family. Dan and his daughters have an obviously loving relationship speckled with a little father-daughter misunderstanding. At times, the family-at-large seems a little too cliche; a boys vs. girls crossword competition and talent show to boot. All in all, the interaction allows for a sly comment or silly action that will leave you laughing. This role is a good extension of Carell’s work that differs from some of his previous
funny yet slightly dumb parts.

The story was rather predictable in it’s outcome. Although, that may be expected, considering there are only so many variations on the forbidden-love tale. In the end, the film is refreshing and enjoyable. Definitely worth a watch.