Extract (2009)

Unexpected. Heartfelt. Laughter. (UHL)

Final Verdict: This comedy seems to come from a different era; it isn't sexually-charged like Forgetting Sara Marshall nor overtly vulgar like Pineapple Express or Step Brothers. It fits in more with films like Office Space and There's Something About Mary as good, clean, American fun. Each character is extremely likeable, believeable, and downright hilarious. Jason Bateman and Kristen Wiig are great as the loveable-but-dsyfunctional couple, but the real star of the show is newcomer Dustin Milligan as the hopeless romantic, brain-dead male prostitute. It may not be the biggest hit of the year, but it's definately very enjoyable and remarkably funny.

Spoiler(s): Mila Kunis is more of a plot device than a central character. This surprised the heck out of me. If I was the writer I would have written a script revolving around a topless Kunis and her trampoline... with some angry, possibly lesbian, space robots thrown in there for good measure.

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 63%

"There he goes... Johnny Horsecock."-Dean

The Nanny Diaries (2007)

Typical. Girlish. Tune-out. (TGT)

Final Verdict: It's not a romantic comedy, but it's definately a chick flick. It's about discovering yourself, the responsibilities of motherhood, falling in love, and other (boring) life lessons. It's generally pretty plain, but has a few chuckles here and there you keep you interested. Scarlett Johansson, while not a bad actress, is nothing extraordinary, and she basically carries the film by her looks. Your girlfriend may find the story cute and amusing, but if you bleed testosterone like I do you'll probably find yourself daydreaming about tanks and ninjas instead of actually paying attention.

Spoiler(s): A college graduate goes to work as a nanny for a rich New York family. Ensconced in their home, she has to juggle their dysfunction, a new romance, and the spoiled brat in her charge. There-- I just saved you ninety minutes.

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 33%
"There's a common belief among anthropologists that you must immerse yourself in an unfamiliar world in order to truly understand your own."
-Annie Braddock

The Black Freighter (2009)

Horrific. Expansive. Fanfare. (HEF)

Final Verdict: For those that have not read the original Watchmen graphic novel, this 30-minute animated feature about a vengeful pirate won't seem at all relevant to the larger story. Why is that? It's because it was originally written into the novel as an analogy to the events surrounding the main characters, creating powerful, often poetic, imagery to express the unspoken language. By itself, it's still fun and engaging, but without being in the context of the larger story it loses some of it's strength. Also included in the DVD is Under the Hood, a 45-minute fake documentary about the "Minute Men", the novel's superhero team from the 40's and 50's. It's very well produced, includes many missing elements from the film, and stays true to the source material. It sheds some light on the minor characters, and supplies a better understanding of the immensely complex backstory. For fans of the Watchmen, you can't go wrong with this DVD, but I suspect it will be best represented when it's spliced into the actual movie, as it was in the novel. Trouble is, when do you feel like sitting down to watch a four-hour-plus movie?

Spoiler(s): Gerald Butler is the voice of the sea captain. He's also the star of 300 and a slew romantic comedies. I'm as confused as you are.

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: N/A