Friends With Money is a romantic comedy directed by Nicole Holofcener. The story revolves around the lives of 4 female friends (1 single, 3 married). There is no plot to the movie; instead it focuses on how each friend reacts to their problems.The first woman in the quartet is Olivia (Jennifer Aniston). She is a single woman down in the dumps. She works as a maid, likes to smoke weed, and lets people walk over her (while on a blind date, she allows the guy to chat up another woman, then agrees to go out with him again). It doesn’t help that Olivia’s friends think all her problems would be over if she “got married.” The irony is that their own marriages all have problems.

Benchwarmers is about three guys, Gus (Rob Schneider), Richie (David Spade) and Clark (Napoleon Dynamite’s own John Heder) who are sick and tired of being bullied and teased. Gus runs his own landscaping company and has a beautiful wife, played by model turned actress Molly Sims. They’re planning on starting a family someday. However, Gus has some secrets he’s keeping.

Gus is also very protective of his friends. He doesn’t like to see people being bullied. Richie and Clark have seen their share of bullies in their lives. Richie, who has a fantastic Dorothy-Hamill bowl-cut from the 70s, works at a video store and has never kissed a girl. He lives in a trailer with his agoraphobic, coiffed-alike brother, Howie (Nick Swardson). Howie eats sunblock and is afraid that the sun is trying to destroy him. Clark is a helmet-wearing, bicycle driving paperboy who still lives with his mother.

One day, Gus watches some bullies pick on a curly-haired little boy named Nelson (Max Prado). He is incensed and comes to the boy’s aid. He challenges the bullying little leaguers to play him and his friends in a ball game for rights to the field. Despite the fact that Richie and Clark have never played baseball in their lives, the trio wins. Nelson tells his dad all about the guys. His dad, Mel, played by Jon Lovitz is a billionaire geek who got picked on as a kid too. He has decided to put his money behind the Benchwarmers.

This project saves Mel from buying more geek paraphenalia such as Star Wars trinkets, the Batman car and ‘Kit’ from Knight Rider. The Benchwarmers will be taking on a bunch of Little League teams in a single-elimination tournament. The prize is a fully-functional baseball field with fantastic amenities like a swimming pool. The field also boasts the best of Wrigley Field, Fenway Park and other ‘legendary’ ball parks.

As the Benchwarmers start to play, geeks across the world resonate with their message. The games are available over the internet, complete with nerdy commentators. The bullies get angry that the geeks are besting them in this competition and start to play dirty. They hire a Central American ball player with depression and an alcohol problem to pose as a 12 year old boy. The Benchwarmers retaliate by buying him some tequila and beer. Their tactic works best as the Benchwarmers remain undefeated until the championship game.

However, the bullies do find some dirt out about Gus. It seems that Gus, although he’s very short, wasn’t a geek as a child. He was a first-class bully. He was the enemy. He tormented a poor, little person so ruthlessly that the boy went to a mental hospital to try to recover. Gus, who’s wife didn’t know he was playing for the Benchwarmers, sees his story on the news and urges her husband to ask for forgiveness so that he can move on with his life.

He does; but, will the geeks and Benchwarmers forgive him? Will he get to play in the championship game? Will the nerds prevail?

This story has a feel-good ending. In fact, the film is pretty feel good throughout. The makers of the film take a message that could be preachy and make it entertaining, funny and fun. I’d highly recommend that you take your kids to this film. It’s great for bully and nerd alike! Admit it - we all were one or the other, right?

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For those with little children, perhaps you’ve heard of Ice Age, the 2002 film starring the voice talents of Ray Romano (Manny the Mammoth), John Leguizamo (Sid the Sloth) and Denis Leary (Diego the Saber-Toothed Tiger) and Chris Wedge (director and everyone’s favorite squirrel hunting down a nut, Scrat)? If you haven’t, that’s too bad. Ice Age was a great film for the entire family.

Usually, you can’t strike family comedy gold twice in a lifetime. And almost never with the same characters. Of course, major and not-so major entertainment conglomerations try and try again. Ice Age 2: The Meltdown is a refreshing anomaly in a world of bad sequels. It’s fresh, funny and very good. In fact, in some ways it may be superior to the original.

This time, Manny, Sid and Diego, who’ve come together to form the most unlikely of herds, are faced with new perils. The Ice Age is just about over. The world is beginning to thaw. As the ice melts, the water is rising dangerously. Fast Tony, voiced by “Tonight Show” host, Jay Leno, is scaring the animals in the hopes of turning a profit on shoddy products that are supposed to ’save their lives’.

Manny calls Fast Tony out as a liar; but then realizes that there is some truth to the doomsday talk. He, Sid and Diego discover when they take a trip to the top of the ice mountain that the water is rapidly rising and a massive flood is imminent in about three days time.

Everyone heads up and moves out. The eagles, who are sort of hoping that there will be mass destruction - it’s good for their food supply - say there’s a boat at the end of the valley. The animals go without much delay.

Meantime, Manny is still wrestling with the fact that he’s the last mammoth; or, so everyone else believes. He takes some time alone in the forest to think. Instead, he finds a lady mammoth, Ellie (Queen Latifah). Problem is - Ellie thinks she’s a possum. Her extreme-sports-loving brothers, Crash (Sean William Scott) and Eddie (Josh Peck), love her and don’t do anything to dispel her of the notion.

The “possums” became part of Manny, Sid and Diego’s posse. Together, they have quite an adventurous trip. Sid and Diego try to urge Manny to let the past go and start a new future with Ellie, who eventually realizes she is a mammoth after all.

If this weren’t enough, the crew has a nasty alligator and his cronie to contend with. The same ones who gave them trouble in the first film and were put on ice have also melted. Time in the ‘cooler’ has done nothing to squash their anger. They’re out for revenge.

As the world is about to end, can Manny and Ellie find love? Will Manny be able to save them all from destruction - and learn to live and love again? These questions of course have positive - and perhaps, stock - answers. The way the movie gets to those answers is still worth the whole trip and the price of admission.

Ice Age 2: The Meltdown is a great movie. It’s entertaining, funny, poignant and just a fantastic way to spend an afternoon with or without the kids.

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Curious about the movie Curious George? It’s hard to resist a cute little monkey and an animated Will Ferrell and Drew Barrymore. Top it off with a gentle soundtrack by Jack Johnson and you have a movie the whole family will enjoy.

This movie is great for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. The bad guy isn’t so bad. Instead, he’s a jealous son who wants to turn the museum into a parking lot. He’s more of a nuisance than a heavy handed tough guy.

Curious George is a delight to watch on the big screen. Jack Johnson’s music compliments the antics of this fun loving music making the movie enjoyable for Mom and Dad too. The storyline isn’t complicated but its captivating enough to keep the interest of even the wiggliest of kids.

Will Ferrell adds a few chuckles but they are all in good taste. And Drew Barrymore is as sweet as ever as the young school teacher with an obvious crush on the “Man With The Yellow Hat.”

Let me know what you think of the movie by adding your comments below.

Many British children’s fiction books and films contain a lot of darkness. This includes the Harry Potter books and Ronald Dahl. It always seems there are many obstacles to overcome and numerous close calls before the story ends. Nanny McPhee is no exception.

Nanny McPhee is the eighteenth governess to be employed by the Brown family since the death of the wife and mother. Cedric Brown, played by Colin Firth, has been left on his own to raise seven boisterous and energetic children, all whom were born in about an eight year span. They resemble a gang of outlaws and love nothing better than driving nannies out of the house. The audience watches as several nannies flee the household, seemingly in fear of their lives. One screams, “They’ve eaten the baby,” as she makes a fast departure from the Brown household.

About this time Cedric begins receiving mysterious messages that read: “What you need is Nanny McPhee.” Then, suddenly, Nanny McPhee appears and she is certainly a foreboding and formidable presence who seems to possess magical powers. She has a kind of fire in her eyes, warts on her face and she wears a black dress to cover her bulk; it somewhat resembles a flour sack. She keeps a walking stick close at hand and whacks it on the cobblestones frequently, sending off an arc of sparks.

The Browns live in an old house in the country that is an architectural monstrosity. There are numerous gardens and staircases that could only be owned by a man facing financial ruin in a work of fiction.

Cedric is the local funeral home director and is deeply in debt. He is counting on a large inheritance from his Great Aunt Adelaide, played by Angela Lansbury, to save him from financial ruin. However, Great Aunt Adelaide has thrown a curve into the mix. She’s stated that in order for Cedric to gain her fortune, he has only 30 days to marry. He knows this will be impossible because of his out-of-control children. Can Nanny McPhee save his inheritance?

Nanny McPhee sets out a list of rules for the children to learn. Her frown sends waves of terror over the children. Soon, she has them whipped into much better shape and a kind of uneasy peace settles over the Brown household.

In his search for a wife, Cedric overlooks the obvious choice; Evangeline, the scullery maid. She’s loved by every member of the household. Instead, he seems to be doomed to marry Mrs. Quickly, who is somewhat a bit of a tart. As plans for the wedding move forward Nanny McPhee rules with an iron hand and the children’s behavior improves drastically. Furthermore, every time that one of her rules are enforced, a wart vanishes from Nanny McPhee’s face and her figure slims, which is somewhat of a mystery.

Will Cedric marry Mrs. Quickly, or will he recognize the fact that his true love is really Evangeline? Will the children reform enough under Nanny McPhee’s watchful eye that Cedric will be able to find a wife, or will they remain little hooligans? All of these questions and more are answered by the end of the film. Be sure to see it. It’s great family entertainment.

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Transamerica stars Emmy award winning actress Felicity Huffman of Desperate Housewives fame, but this role is quite unlike the one you are used to. In Transamerica, Huffman plays a transsexual male named Bree who is on his way to becoming a woman. But just a few days before his final surgery, Bree realizes that he has a son from one of his early heterosexual relationships, and the two travel across the country on an odd journey of mutual bonding.

Transamerica is the debut film by writer/ director Duncan Tucker, but you honestly would not know it by the quality of the film. The dialogue is superb, the cinematography is great, and the acting, well, the acting is pretty damn good too.

The concept of a female playing a male may sound silly at first, but Huffman pulls it off by deepening her voice in a believable manner, and various steps were taken to make her look a bit less female. While it may not be flattering, Huffman give a very powerful performance, much like the one Charlize Theron gave in Monster, in that she paints a very convincing portrait of something that is rarely explored in american culture, let alone in Hollywood movies. Most definitely an Oscar-worthy performance. Kevin Zegers does a pretty good job too, but Huffman definitely steals the show.

The bottom line is this: Transamerica is a touching film that lays on plenty of emotion, but without being trite or condescending. Quite frankly, I feel this is essential viewing for everyone.

Let me know whether you agree or not by adding your comment below.

This is Dumb and Dumber, Australian style, and while Angus Sampson and Nathan Philips are no Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels in the acting stakes, they serve a plateful of Aussie humor so thick that it will probably be incomprehensible anywhere else.

The film opens with scenes from the childhood of best mates Jeffrey and Phillip, accompanied by the repeated refrain of “You and your stupid mate..!” It’s a bit heavy handed but we get the point. These two could be living next door to anyone.

Jump a few years and Jeffrey and Philip are settled in a lifestyle that is nothing short of idyllic, living in a user-friendly caravan park on the dole, eating beans and watching their favourite soap, Sons and Surf.

It looks like nothing can get these two lovable slackers off their behinds and out into the world in search of real jobs. Phillip is deeply involved with the Gang Show, a Scout revue that takes place once a year, while Jeffrey devotes himself to maintenance of the Sons and Surf fan website.

Naturally, a combination of events catapults the pair out into the jungle – Sons and Surf is cancelled, and they get a new case manager at the Jobs 4 U job agency.

The writers, two stand up comics from Melbourne called Mark O’Toole and Dave O’Neil, obviously intended this to be an hilarious look at life in modern Australia, and strangely enough, in spite of production values that came out of a carton of breakfast cereal, they do succeed. You and Your Stupid Mate is like your best mate – he’s a bit of dill, but you can’t help liking the mongrel.

Angus Sampson plays Jeffrey as an innocent boofhead who doesn’t realize when he is being given the flick by a TV soap star, while Nathan Phillips capers happily as the gang Show-obsessed overgrown boy scout Philip.

Some strong supporting performances help the pair keep a grip on the material. William McInnes plays the case manager Peter Rossiter, whose efforts to get the pair employed finally drive him to madness; Tayler Kane, who played the dumb security guard in The Dish, gives a nice performance as soap star Evo, who befriends the boys.

Surprisingly, one of the highlights is leggy Rachel Hunter as Karen, a hippy earth mother type, surrounded by children and playing the harp outside her caravan. Clearly, Karen is a goddess and we are left in no doubt of that.

Madeleine West as soap star Emma obviously relishes the funny side of soap stardom, mugging her way through the Sons and Surf scenes, and sweetly learning that even her dumbest fans have more merit as human beings than TV executives.

All right, it’s not Shakespeare, but it delivers some real belly laughs and some genuinely inspired moments. But, if you are not Australian, don’t see it without an Aussie in tow to explain the gags.

The Matador is a hilarious spoof. Nevertheless, it manages to convey some thought-provoking emotions.

The Matador introduces us to the lives of a hitman and a salesman, who meet at a bar in Mexico City. Pierce Brosnan throws off his smooth James Bond image, and gives a fantastic performance as Julian, the crude and rough-around-the-edges hitman. Greg Kinnear plays Danny, the average American businessman.

Although Julian and Danny are complete opposites, they end up sharing a bond. Julian is struggling to cope with his chosen career as a “facilitator of fatalities.” Danny is dealing with the pressures of trying to succeed as a businessman. The unlikely duo strike up a friendship, which leads to a bond between them.

So why is the movie called the Matador? One very strong point in the movie is when Julian and a top bullfighter (the Matador) both demonstrate how they must possess clever skills, and devise certain maneuvers to achieve their respective “missions.”

The movie’s other interesting character is Danny’s wife, played by Hope Davis. Davis gives a good performance as the dutiful wife.

The Matador has neither a complex nor a challenging plot (but does have an interesting twist at the end). Despite the lack of complexity, The Matador is worth seeing for the humor and fine performance by Brosnan.

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I am not very fond of Usher’s music, but I definitely think that he is a talented vocalist. And he is also a pretty decent actor too, when he allows himself be. His performance in Light It Up was rather good, as was his stint in The Faculty. But In The Mix really shows that the singer just doesn’t have what it takes to be a lead actor yet.

Maybe it just happens to be the bad plot and dialogue, but Usher just is not with the program in this flick. He is trying hard to look cool, but he isn’t doing much on the acting front, just looking buff and living up to that Will Smithian “street wise yet nice and hip black guy” archetype. Honestly, there would be nothing wrong with that if it was pulled off right. I actually like Will Smith’s acting. But in this scenario, with Usher doing it, it’s just plain awful.

As said before, Usher is actually able to be a competent actor, and that is why this movie is so annoying. The whole time I was in the the theater absorbing the silly boy meets girl plot I kept thinking “Wow. What happened to this guy?” Usher does actually have talent, but none of it is displayed in this film.

But to be fair, he is not the only reason this is a bad film. All the other actors do a poor job as well, and as mentioned, the plot and dialogue is pretty asinine too. Even the title - which oh so cleverly references the bi-racial love affair between the two characters - is dumb. Avoid this movie at all costs, unless of course you enjoy being bored and annoyed for 90 minutes.

The general plot of Just Friends is this: A fat kid named Chris is in love with his friend Jamie, but she just wants to be friends, so he moves to L.A., loses the weight and becomes a successful womanizing music executive. Then Chris has to come back to his hometown where he is reunited with Jamie, and becomes the awkward teen he tried so hard to forget about all over again, trying to persuade Jamie to go out with him. That is basically the plot. Original, no?

Okay, first things first: The fat suit that Ryan Reynolds wears in this film is absurdly bad looking, like most fat suits have a tendency to be. Also, the humor in this film just really is not funny. I think I laughed a whole two times while watching this flick, and I think both of those times I was laughing about how bad the fat suit looked.

And outside of the bad jokes and the fat suit, the rest of the movie is just unremarkable. You never really care about the characters, and while the acting is not outright bad, it is not exactly great either. All in all, Just Friends is a stinker that you are probably better off avoiding.

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