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The Legend of Ricky Bobby met and exceeded my expectations. This is no mean feat, since there were lots of snippets in the trailers or circulating the Internet. It might just be the hick in me -- I was born in Kansas -- but this is a great movie to laugh with. Films like this make the case for race car driving as the nation's sport. After all, I'm not aware of any football stadiums that hold 200,000 people. What works: 1) Cast - all skilled, all in the right place. Will Ferrell is da'Man! 2) Comedy - well executed and delivered. Not a clunker in the bunch. 3) Pacing - everything flows, no weak points. 4) Story - believable enough, and ridiculous in a good way. Verdict: Funny film without being infantile. For NASCAR, comedy, or Will Ferrell fans -- a must see. Theater or DVD purchase.

With moderately placed hopes, I saw this film hoping for something between average and good. Instead, I got disaster. Historically, I like Michael Mann's direction style, and in particular his most recent projects, including Collateral and Ali. I also count myself as a fan of the original television show, Miami Vice, which he directed. Considered it very much ahead of its time, while being a reflection of the Eighties cocaine and glossy neon and pastel era. But this was...ahem...my exact words when the closing credits started, "What a fucking piece of crap." I said this loud enough that The Wife scolded me because people stared at us. Hell, it was an R-movie. I'm not responsible for the twelve delinquents that told their parents they were seeing Barnyard. And besides, no one disagreed. What works about this movie: 1) Concept. Revisiting the glory days of a great show with a new cast and crew was an idea with good intentions. Maybe in someone else's hands, it could have been SWAT. I wanted to believe it might work. 2) It does end. What needs improvement: 1) Cast. Colin Farrell - not a good fit for his character. Jamie Foxx, too talented for a project so weak. 2) Budget. Less money on hookers for Colin, more on cameras. 135 million dollars for something shot on a digital video camera that failed to keep up with the transition from well lit to poorly lit environments? Uh-huh, don't think so, homey. Many scenes the picture was grainy. Not a little, either. I'm talking visible colored blobs of static, dancing around on X. 3) Story. Might have worked as a sixty minute television show. Had no business being stretched to 110 minutes. 4) Soundtrack. I would have preferred no music to these arrangements. Again, what works as background noise for a trailer, doesn't hold up for a whole film. Verdict: A disappointment. Change the channel when it comes to cable.

Jack Black is funny. Very funny. Nacho Libre proves he has the stuff of champions. In a follow effort from Jared Hess -- the genius behind Napolean Dynamite -- comes a tale of a man with one dream, one vision, one true religion. He may be a friar, but when he wears tight pants and a mask, and steps in the wrestling ring, this man of God will rock you. Actually he gets his butt kicked quite a bit, in a humorous way. Stuck serving meals to orphans, Nacho yearns for a chance to be important and dish up something besides beans and chips. Wrestling might be his ticket to a better life for himself and food that does not give the boss diarrhea. The humor is off beat, the timing left of center, and the plot unconventional. Just perfect. Loved it. What works about this movie: 1) The premise is both ridiculous and semi-serious. 2) Casting. Besides Jack Black, everyone is average looking. Ugly monkeys perform as well as overpaid Botoxed ones. Yes! 3) Direction. Jared Hess: the funniest man in Utah. Maybe the entire Lower 48. Verdict: Theater, DVD purchase. Both if you can handle the laughter.

The Swiss appreciate the offbeat side of life. For instance, they tolerated my two dollar ties – ah, those zany NYC street vendors – Sears and Roebuck crew cuts, and refusal to learn French. God bless Switzerland. And in terms of cuisine they have even more interesting tastes, especially in condiments. The McDonald's in Geneva charges for ketchup, but one condiment is free to all takers: mayonnaise. At the foothills of the Alps, mayo works overtime. Like French Fries and mayonnaise. Mayonnaise and mustard makes a tangy sauce. And for breakfast: cold cuts, eggs, champagne and tub of mayonnaise on the side. The urge to dip could strike at any time. So in the spirit of the Swiss, I thought why not mash up some movie reviews? The Break Up meets The Omen. Omen Up. 2006 and Jennifer Aniston wants her half of the condominium back. She's tired of your video games, dogs with sharp teeth, and disregard for her feelings. Well too bad for her, you are the son of the Devil. Grab hold of that landing, Ms. Aniston! Verdict: Breakup, Omen -- DVD rental. X-Men meets Mission Impossible 3. X-Impossible. Part of an elite team of mutants, Tom Cruise races against time to save a girl we never believe he loves. Unfortunately, Ms. Right is insane and whenever she kisses him, buildings explode and he becomes more heterosexual. And we all believe that. To keep us awake, every thirty-two minutes a major character dies. Verdict: X-Men DVD Purchase. Mission Impossible 3: Cable. Better with malt liquor and Primus.

I had to see The Da Vinci Code earlier rather than later so I could draw my own conclusions, rather than allow the critics any sway. Film reviewers are nasty buggers sometimes. Also I was a bit stir crazy on Saturday and craved distraction. The Da Vinci Code phenomena reveals just how clever Dan Brown is. Setting his tale in a medium that lends itself to endless discussion, conspiratorial posturing, and religious backlash, elevates the story far beyond his capabilities as a story teller. It's more than a novel or movie; it's an event. Thus, it's not necessary for the execution to be amazing, provided the premise engages the audience and the ball never stops rolling. And at both it does well. Overall the movie is a good adaptation of the novel, though it's possible to enjoy the movie cold, without reading the book. The Wife confirmed that theory. And now the story... A Harvard scholar finds himself the main suspect in a murder investigation where the victim left clues exposing a 2,000 year old conspiracy: did Jesus and Mary Magdalene marry? His odyssey takes him and a sidekick to important historical sites all over Europe decoding anagrams and symbols while chasing leads. Even briefer, this a why-they-done-it, rather than a who-done-it. What works: 1) Content. The best plot points from the novel made it to the screen. 2) Pacing. As the novel, the story moves. 3) Casting. Looked and sounded about right. What needs improvement: 1)Sophie – the most important character – is muted, and lacked the depth she had in the book. Partly the fault lies with the medium, films make characterization very difficult. But a weak Sophie makes a weaker story. 2)Dialog – not exactly Dan Brown's strong point, what the mind tolerates on the written page is painful on the screen. Oh yes, there are howlers. 3)More narrative, less chatter. From the blueprint of the novel, the movie inherited quite a few points that might have been better shown, instead of told. What works on the page does not always work on screen. To the director's credit, there are many moments where he accomplishes so much visually. So much so I believe he could have done it more consistently and frequently. 4)Ending. Lame. Like the book. Verdict: Matinee so you can brag at the water cooler. DVD rental if you can bear the wait.

The Sentinel typifies the disease that Hollywood has lately, in that audiences -- the very people the studios believed could never tire of half-baked, thrice recycled ideas -- expect a movie to suck and avoid it. Or at least they do until reviewing the Internet rumors. When news of poor ticket sales hits the mainstream, even more potential viewers make the wait for DVD rental or catch it on an airplane without renting the headphones decision. This cycle makes for carnage at the box office, and it's a real shame, because the Sentinel is actually a decent movie. My preconceptions proved well placed. Expecting nothing, I got entertainment. The story focuses on a Secret Service agent at odds with his environment. In the twilight of his career, he finds himself enmeshed in a conspiracy to kill the President. For added tension, he's also servicing the First Lady. Secretly. Michael Douglas does well here -- even for an old guy. And boy, face lift or not, the heir to Kirk is showing his age. No matter, though. Overall, this is a competent thriller. What works: 1) If you like the TV show 24 or Tom Clancy movies, this story is for you. 2) Pacing - action never stops. 3) Concept - we have seen tales of betrayal at this level before, but this more than an Air Force one rehashed; it feels fresh. 4) Ending - reasonable and acceptable given the characters and story arc. What needs improvement: 1) A few moments of MTV styled shots and production values I could do without, but otherwise the film works.

Delivering an entertaining movie with a message is a tough proposition for a filmmaker. Time spent on the thematic content often comes at the expense of story, hobbles the narrative, and gives the film a preachy tone. Waver on the theme by focusing exclusively on action, and the movie rings hollow. And then there's the minimum dosage of eye candy theatergoers such expect on a big screen. Light it up or blow it up, but I want fire and blood, damn it. So talented is a director who strikes a tight balance between story, theme and pyrotechnics. Largely, V for Vendetta succeeds. The film is a compelling story about a corrupt government who wrongs a man and woman in such a way that the audience roots for them; the theme is easy to swallow: government answers to the people, not the reverse; lots of buildings explode. Diggety. There are slow points. V, the hero, has a vocabulary and manner of speech that rivals an English professor cloistered in an Ivory tower. The chemistry between Natalie Portman and V is almost unsettling, because one never sees V's eyes. Overall, an enjoyable ride. Verdict: Matinee or DVD purchase.