The Switch (2010)

The Switch (2010)

Miramax etc.

August 20, 2010

Romcom
DVD
D

Aniston and Bateman are plausible as best friends but this script (based on Jeffrey Eugenides's short story "Baster"), oy!  Josh Gordon and Will Speck co-directed.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day

Open Road etc.

April 13, 2016

Comedy
DVD
C-

Cliched and predictable, but bumped up for Garry Marshall getting his sister Penny to do the opening narration.

Marley & Me

Marley & Me

Fox etc.

December 25, 2008

Dramedy
DVD
D+

I'm not a dog person and I didn't really like any of the human characters, especially Owen Wilson as an idiot.  This is based on the very popular book by John Grogan (the real-life idiot) and it set a Christmas Day box-office record.  David Frankel directed.

The Iron Giant

The Iron Giant

Warner Bros.

August 6, 1999

Children's, Animation, Sci-Fi, Historical Comedy
DVD
C-

One of my best friends loves this movie but I've never been able to get into it.  This is based on the book The Iron Man by Ted Hughes, and directed by Brad Bird, who co-wrote the adaptation.

He's Just Not That Into You

He's Just Not That Into You

Warner Bros.

February 6, 2009

Romcom, Drama

DVD
B-

A dozen years ago, in a time of flip-phones and MySpace, but still with some interesting insights (some derived from the self-help book by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo) about relationships.  Of course, this is a world where everyone, even Yoga instructors, can live like they're upper-middle-class while spending hardly any time thinking about their jobs compared to their love lives.  And the need for some of the characters to have happy endings means that the rules don't apply if someone is "the exception."  Still, worth revisiting.  Ken Kwapis directed.

Friends with Money

Friends with Money

Sony Pictures

April 21, 2006

Dramedy
DVD
B-

This is one of those odd movies where I don't really like anyone in it but I find them interesting enough that I want to see what happens to them, and the ensemble does work well together.  (Except Joan Cusack, who's usually a scene-stealer, feels miscast.)  Nicole Holofcener wrote and directed.

The Bounty Hunter

The Bounty Hunter

Columbia

March 19, 2010

Crime Comedy, Romcom

DVD
D

A stupid comedy about stupid people, although it does have a bunch of recognizable faces, some of whom I've tagged.  Andy Tennant directed.