The Illusionist

Actually more of a costume drama than anything else. Strong performances from Norton, Giamatti, and Biel. Kind of boring.

Snakes On A Plane

Fascinating, in that it exploits the hype of hype. There's no good movie here; only an ad campaign. Audience members yelled key lines along with Samuel Jackson -- on opening night! How could they have known? Could have been a lot better. The movie I mean. The ad campaign was perfect.

Little Miss Sunshine

One of the best movies of the year, so far. Not all that original, but very well done.

Talladega Nights - The Legend of Ricky Bobby

Ricky Bobby/Ron Burgundy is a hotshot race car driver/news anchor. Although he’s a complete doofus, he’s at the top of his game and surrounded by a band of merry men who worship him. But one day, a rival shows up in the form of some new blood, played by Sasha Barron Cohen/Christina Applegate. Ricky Bobby/Ron Burgundy is overcome with insecurity and becomes hysterical. Eventually, he loses everything and becomes a pathetic slacker. Only when he can swallow his pride and learn a life lesson about humility can Ricky Bobby/Ron Burgundy bounce back and be number one again. The end. (Oh, yeah. Ricky Bobby was funnier than Ron Burgundy.)

The Descent

Scary! Great, claustrophobic settings and tense, terrifying sequences. Meager efforts to inject character development and a forced rivalry between the good girl and the bad girl fall flat. But it’s the first time in a long time I’ve been viscerally, genuinely spooked in a movie.