Not really my kind of movies, but...

Okay, a couple of films I wouldn't normally throw on the top of the pile (and one that I would). But based on what's coming out over the next couple of weeks, I guessed I would be talking about them all a lot at work, so previewed them, and figured I'd share a thumnail or two.

We start off with the Aniston/Vaughn's The Breakup (the movie one, not any of the actual breakups they've been involved with lately). Cute movie. Sucky ending. Aniston was really good--she wasn't Rachel--just a nice, confused gal in a lousy relationship. Vaughn...who will always be Trent Walker to me...was pretty good, too. Really felt for his character--and I almost think we were supposed to root him on more than Aniston. But maybe it's a gender thing. The speech he gave towards the end was eerily like one I've worked on lately. Almost word for word in some places--definitely the same outline. Creeped me out. First Sandler, now Vince Vaughn. I'm going to find myself as one of the Owen brothers before too long.

Best thing about this movie tho? The supporting cast. Always good to see Joey Lauren Adams, even if she's under-utilized as she was here. Justin Long was great (even if he did have a certain Bronson Pinchot-Beverly Hills Cop-rip-off vibe). Jon Favreau was excellent as the best-friend (nah, he wasn't excellent...he was sooo money, baby)--he had the best scene in the flick. Unless he's behind the camera, he needs to be the best friend in everything he does--he can't carry a leading role (outside of Swingers), but he's perfect as best bud. John Michael Higgins was perfect--this guy needs to work more (but he's so off-beat probably hard to find much to put him in)--2nd best scene-stealing here. Judy Davis was her typical self, great. Vincent D'Onofrio reminded me that he's really funny when he's not freakishly-intense. You take these guys out and replace them with whoever from Central Casting and yawn. Without them, Aniston and Vaughn are just...eh.

Grade: B

Okay...Over the Hedge was pretty much a paint-by-numbers computer animated flick. I really don't know what to say about it. Wasn't thrilled with anything, but I really enjoyed it. Most of the voice talents (Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling, Steve Carell, William Shatner, Nick Nolte, Thomas Haden Church, Allison Janney, Eugene Levy...) rocked. That's what carried the film, the characters' voices/expressions. Story was...eh. Animation was okay. Standard Dreamworks stuff. But my kids liked it, and I thought it was miles better than The Wild.

Grade: B

American Dreamz...ummm, wow. What do I say? It was cute. It was occasionally funny. But direction-less. It couldn't decide what it was: Political satire? Reality TV satire? Was it Dark Humor? Light Humor? Just silly? It was a little bit of each, but not enough of any one of those to be really good. Any one of those things done better, and it could've been saved.

Dennis Quaid/Marcia Gay Harden were a decent First Family Knock-Off. Dafoe stooped too low for his broad (overly broad) for faux-Cheney. Hugh Grant's self-loathing Simon Cowell Martin Tweed was a bit too much. Mandy Moore was okay as a self-obsessed, calculating wanna be Carrie Underwood-type (actually more of a Kelly Pickler with a touch more talent). Chris Klein was too cartoony as her rejected boyfriend (ditto for Jennifer Coolidge as her mom and Seth Meyers as her manager). Okay, so I haven't had anything positive to say since "cute." So here it is: Sam Golzari. Perfect. The only redeeming factor, and he's almost enough to make it worth the $3.99 to rent.

Grade: C+