The Notebook

The Notebook

New Line

June 17, 2004

Historical Drama, Romance

DVD
D

That tired, tired trope of the guy basically nagging a woman into going out with him, the '40s setting not helping here any more than it did in New York, New York.  And, yes, this is another movie I dislike based on a Nicholas Sparks book, this one directed by Nick Cassavetes, a couple of years after John Q. and a few years before My Sister's Keeper.

Game Night

Game Night

Warner Bros.

February 23, 2018

Comedy, Action, Mystery

DVD
B

Violent but not "too violent," dark but not "too dark," gross but not "too gross," this is sometimes laugh-out-loud funny and in sweet in its own warped way.  Bateman works well as the lead, paired perfectly with McAdams, with able support, especially from Plemons, who's like Matt Damon's brother but somewhere on "the spectrum."  John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein co-directed.

The Family Stone

The Family Stone
20th Century Fox
December 16, 2005
Comedy
DVD
C-

Thomas Bezucha wrote and directed this tale of a man bringing his unlikable girlfriend home to meet his large family.

Disobedience

Disobedience
Bleecker Street
10 September 2017
Drama
DVD
D

An annoying woman goes to her father the rabbi's funeral.  This is based on the Naomi Alderman novel and directed by Sebastián Lelio.