Doc Martin

M: This is a 4 season British comedy about an elite surgeon who develops a phobia of blood, and moves to a small coastal town to become a general practice doctor. The characters are great, the scenery beautiful, and the story fun. We really enjoyed this, and recommend it. 3 1/2 stars

V: Oh, I loved Doc Martin, and I'm sad that our watching has come to an end. (And it only ended because the series did.) Doc Martin, the character, is true to his curmudgeonly self throughout. (Well-acted by Martin Clunes.) The rest of the characters are fun and endearing. Social problems, strange diseases and a tense romance - we loved our evening visits to the telly and that beautiful coastal village - we want to go to there. FYI - on Netflix it is unrated - it's probably about a TV-14 for occasional medical gore. - 3 1/2 stars

Easy A

M: Our local movie critic, with whom we often agree, raved about Easy A. So, I brought it home. We invited family to watch it with us -- I am glad they didn't. When it was done, I apologized to V. Easy A is a play on the the novel The Scarlet Letter. Olive, played by Emma Stone, accidentally starts a rumor that she lost her virginity. The rumor grows and grows, and her reputation tumbles. Although at first, Olive embraces and enjoys her new-found notoriety, she eventually learns an important lesson (I am not sure what that lesson was). Emma Stone did a good job, she almost makes you like her very unlikable character. But, in the end, the movie is just too dirty to enjoy. It is also a bit hypocritical, which bugged me. Case in point, the "bad guys" in the movie are all overzealous and hypocritical religious folks. Fine, nobody likes a religious hypocrite. But, in labeling every character with religious belief as a bigoted "Jesus freak," this movie, at least to me, revealed its own ugly bigoted and hypocritical nature. I just didn't really care for it. 1 1/2 stars

V: Uggh. What a bummer. It just left us feeling dirty and disappointed. Emma Stone was a good actress and her parents were interesting and funny, played by a couple of my favorites: Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson. But it was too - eeeaghh. There was no good reason the main character would continue to act the way she did - she was just inviting the judgment she so readily condemned. Dumb. Can't recommend it. 1 star

Diaries of a Wimpy Kid

M: This is a pretty fun movie about a kid making his way through middle school. I liked it. The boy and his friend were both very likable. The parents were funny. The brother was a bit over the top but funny. The "cheese touch" was a funny touch. I didn't really care for the overly mean bullies and the overly wise newspaper girl. Otherwise, it is a fun show. 3 stars

V: This had a lot of originality. The main kid was an anti-hero, which is perfect for a kid this age - (weren't we all unacceptable human beings in middle school?) He's insecure and trying to succeed by being anyone but himself. His best friend, a chubby, cheesy boy who professes his admiration for his mother openly is great. He ends up being liked because he's himself. I thought they mixed in the graphic novel sketches well. It was cute. And I'm glad not to be in junior high anymore. 3 stars

Whip It

V: So, I kinda liked this movie about a high school girl who wants to join the roller-derby. It had a lot of actors that I like. The dad and the coach were always funny. The mom, just really good - Marcia Gay Hardin - she's just such a great actress. Kristin Wiig is great - one of our favorite SNL staples. Ellen Page is very natural. You kind of know how it's all going to turn out, but it wasn't one-sided. Ellen's character, Bliss, comes to see her parents' point of view, just as they come to see hers. So she grows up a bit. The movie's got that mellow indie feel. Directed by Drew Barrymore, who plays Smashley Simpson. I enjoyed it. 3 stars

M. Great cast, Drew Barrymore, Ellen Page, Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development), Jimmy Fallon, and Kristin Wiig (whose Penelope Character is change-your-life-funny). Unfortunate, not a great movie. In fact, I give Whip It this years Worst Use of Talent Award. V and I really differ on this one. For the most part, I found it predictable, cliche, and annoying. It was a bizarre mixture of inspiring sports movie, slapstick comedy, and family drama. For me, it was really disappointing. 2 stars.

Night at the Museum 2

V: Had no high expectations, and I thought it was pretty funny. We watched it with our girls and they liked it, too - and there wasn't anything offensive. It made for a very fun movie night. I don't remember the first one very well, but this one was a lot of fun. I laughed out loud when the little guys were stabbing peoples shoes in slow-mo during the final battle. 3 stars.

M: I agree. Funny, clean, a bit overly silly at times, but generally good fun. They did a good job having a villain that was both villainous and hilarious. A good show. Not amazing, but good. 3 stars.

17 Again

M: I didn't expect to like this movie. For some reason, and as I reflect, for no reason at all, I have not liked Zac Efron. I don't remember ever seeing him in anything. He is in the High School Musical movies, which I have only seen parts of. I guess I just thought he was a young, pretty-boy, tween idol who had no actual talent. But, I really liked him in this. He was funny, touching, and yes, a pretty-boy. My only complaints were that his character was, at times, a bit hypocritical. After knocking up his high-school girlfriend, he, as a 17 again high school-er, tells his daughters class how important it is not to have sex before your married. But, to me, the theme of the movie was that he wouldn't change anything. It didn't quite add up. Also, like the movie Juno, which I also really liked, they took teen pregnancy and turned it into a happy ending where the dad loves the mom and child and takes care of them forever. This is a happy ending, for sure, but, I believe, is also statistically unlikely. But I am nitpicking here. All in all, I really-really enjoyed the movie. It took me back to high school. I sometimes wonder if I went back to high school now (my old self with my current knowledge and confidence) how I would fare, if I would be more or less popular. Throw in your kids being there for you to be a good example to and protect, and it makes for some very interesting thinking, and for a very good movie. 3 1/2 stars.

V: Zach Efron was delightful. The rest was just ok. 2 1/2 stars

40 Year Old Virgin (Edited TV Version)

M: We watched this edited on NBC the other night. We do not recommend watching it unedited, as it was clear that a lot of bad stuff was taken out. I, however, loved the movie in the form we saw. There were some seriously funny moments, a lot of them. Steve Carell was great and lovable. Keep in mind that there is content that, even in edited form, may be offensive. You can only edit so much, and this is a movie about a virgin. But, if you can find it edited, it may be worth watching. Very funny. 3 1/2 stars

V: Don't judge us for watching and liking this show. (Stop it, stop it right now.) It was very cleaned up. Like M said, there are some truly hilarious things in this show. Carell is very funny. Aren't we glad we have a Carell. I reminisced fondly on this show for a couple of days after seeing it. 3 stars.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop

V: It was art film time in our household, so we picked up this little beauty from, yes, the Red Box. This film deals with a variety of classic themes that humanity must deal with: evil vs. good; unrequited love; loyalty vs. treachery; and hypoglycemia. It really got me thinking about the importance of having sugar on hand. And since I'm still thinking about sugar, I'll keep this short. 2 stars.

M: We finally got around to watching this movie. I am a fan of King of Queens, and I generally think that Kevin James is hilarious. And this movie did have some real laugh out loud moments and some good lines. But, all in all, I came away disappointed. The first 30 minutes of the movie was just too sad, and the last 30 minutes too packed with silly action. The criminals were way too athletic, with their flipping and jumping, and there appeared to be no good reason the cops just sat around waiting for Blart to save the day. Also, I didn't really buy the love interest. This movie is pretty funny, very funny in parts. But, the movie definitely does not make my top comedies list, it simply does not compare to the likes of So I Married an Axe Murderer, Tommy Boy, and Dumb and Dumber. I don't know why, it's not like those movies are critically acclaimed masterpieces. Kevin James is capable of real greatness, but I think the writing in this one ultimately held him back. Go ahead and see the movie, laugh a bit, its worth a buck. 2 1/2 stars.

Bedtime Stories

V: It's been a little while since I've seen this, so the memory's a bit fuzzy. But here's a stab. Pretty cute show all in all. We watched it with our kids and it kept the 4 year-old's attention - at least after magic stuff started happening. We are always apprehensive of Rob Schneider's obligatory appearance in an Adam Sandler movie as he's bound to bring crudeness. Despite our cringing, he kept it PG. There was some funny stuff. It was worth a trip to the red box. 3 stars.

M: Ya, pretty good, all in all. This movie is not going to change your life, but it is nice enough. Worth checking out. 2 1/2 stars.

Leather Heads

M: A movie about the coming of age of professional football starring George Clooney, Renee Zellweger, and John Krasinski (Jim of the Office). A relatively funny and quirky movie that at times tried too hard to be quirky and came off silly. I enjoyed Clooney and Krasinski's characters, but did not care for Zellweger's character and did not believe the romance side of the film. It also bugged me when they tried to turn Krasinski's character into an antagonist. It felt awkward for the movie to try to force me to root against the character that was the most likable and that I most liked. 2 stars

V: It's fun enough, but it tried to go in too many different directions and fit into too many different genres at once. The effect is a pretty discombobulated show. The actors are fun. I always say I don't like Rene Zellweger, but then usually find that I lose the actress in her character. So she is a good actor, after all, I admit. George Clooney and John Krasinski are loveable actors, and their characters are fun, too. But it still is jumbled, ending in a joke that was fun, but still, what's all this running around about? Seems like Clooney, as director, was trying to sandwich the slapstick from his 20 favorite old movies into this show, and it just got silly sometimes. 2 stars.

Baby Momma

M: I like Tina Fey, and to a lesser extent, Amy Poehler. I love them on SNL's weekend update, where the writing is funny, and they play off each other very well. This movie was ok. Parts were touching, parts were very funny, and parts were silly. A very light movie. Probably worth a redbox. 2 1/2 stars.

V: This was better (and less crude) than I expected. There were lots of people in it that I really like: Fey and Poehler (of course) and Steve Martin, Greg Kinnear and Sigourney Weaver. It was a fun watch. Definitely a red-boxer. (Course, we pretty much always red box it.) 3 stars.

Evan Almighty

V: I had not heard good things about this movie - so maybe it was low expectations - but I really enjoyed it! Particularly, the first half of the movie had many truly funny things in it. How can Steve Carrell not be funny? The end was a little silly, but still an interesting resolution. So it was a light, entertaining show, all in all. 3 stars.

M: I thought the movie was hilarious. I laughed out loud several times. Micheal Scott (some call him Steve Carrell) is so funny, it is hard to go wrong. There were a few over the top, kind of silly moments. But as a light hearted, nice, and well intentioned film, I loved it. Don't take it to seriously. 3 1/2 stars.

Juno

V: Juno, Juno, Juno. Well, I think it was interesting. I had high hopes. In the end, I thought the story was pretty good. I liked the up-close attention to the main character-- they didn't speed through her conundrum slapstick style. Interesting how some characters changed in her perception (and ours), though it may have been too clean a switch. Ellen Page was very good. The boyfriend is great, we already loved that actor. Her Dad was a highlight, funny, rude, but always loving. It had a lot of crude elements/language, so that cast a shadow over it from the beginning. However, the script was natural and original. Music was fun. It was good, not super. 3 stars

M:I had very high expectations going into this movie, which perhaps put it at an unfair disadvantage. At first, I was a bit surprised at the content (you might say, "what did you expect from a movie about teenage pregnancy," but I didn't see it coming). As the movie rolled on, I grew to really like the characters. Juno is funny, her family is dysfunctional but fun. In the end, I really liked this movie. Of course, Ellen Page did great. I really like Michael Cere (played George Michael in Arrested Development). I wish they had found a way to do more with him. I also liked Juno's dad, cracked me up. I am not going to say that this is the greatest movie of all time, it isn't. But, it is good, the characters are likable, and the content, looking back, wasn't really all that bad. Tough call, tempted to give it a 3, but I will go with . . . 3 1/2 stars.

August Rush

V: Movie of a young boy who must "follow the music" to find his parents. This show had so many unlikely and unbelievable elements, we were constantly rolling our eyes, "yeah, right"-ing, or being plain creeped out. So girl and boy play in their respective concerts, girl meets boy on rooftop, boy sings Moondance and says he talks to the moon, so girl sleeps with boy on rooftop, they part the next morning, both forswear music and pine for each other for 11 years, 3 months and 15 days, son searches for parents, they all "follow the music" to their happily-ever-after. And when they find each other, they seem remarkably unsurprised and underwhelmed. The script was bad, predictable and rushed to dramatic points. This could have worked had it been treated in a more fantastical way (ala Big Fish or Pushing Daisies). But since it took itself so seriously, we just couldn't. The best part was the little African American girl from the church choir. (She had about 10 lines.) Music was good, by Hans Zimmer. 2 stars

M: A couple that knew each other for less than 11 hours pine away for 11 years, abandoning their music and being generally blue. Girl gets hit by a car and her dad forges her signature to give away her baby while she is unconscious. She thinks the baby is dead. Baby grows up in an orphanage, but can hear his parents "music" so, at about age 12, he follows it, literally, through the streets. Meets an incredibly creepy Robin Williams and his gang of singing ruffians. Creepy Williams really likes music. Baby, now kid, learns to play a guitar like a pro overnight. Escapes to a church, where he learns to play the piano and write symphonies in an afternoon. Is enrolled by the minister/choir director into Julliard (what is that, $40,000 a year tuition) where he naturally becomes the top student. Conducts the philharmonic in central park as they play his music. Of course! My neck hurts from shaking my head so much. Otherwise, its a feel good movie, if you can only accept the heavy heavy cheese that comes along with that good feeling. I couldn't. 1 1/2 stars

Blades of Glory

M: Will Ferrell and Jon Heder star in this show about two figure skating superstars who join together as a couple in pairs skating after being banned from male singles skating. This had some very funny stuff, including some laugh out loud moments . . . but. Crude jokes throughout ruin the show. This show had potential, not a lot of potential, but some potential. This obviously was no Napoleon Dynamite, but it was a lot better than bench warmers (Jon Heders prior films, see our full list of reviews for reviews of both). Jenna Fischer of "the Office" has a role in the movie, and though I love her in "the Office," her character in this film, the sweet likable girl, is neither sweet, nor likable. Saturday Night Live's Amy Poehler and Arrested Development's Will Arnett, both hilarious in those shows, don't do much to help this show. I can't recommend, but if you don't mind senselessly crude humor, give it a shot. 2 Stars

V: Amen to what Mike said. 2 Stars.

Ratatouille

M: Good movie. Maybe a little long. Little Rat (voice of spence from King of Queens, Vic can fill in the name, she is good at that kind of thing) likes to cook. As a cooking fan, he doesn't fit in with the other rats, eventually separates from them, and ends up at a fancy restaurant helping a human wannabe cook make fancy dishes. This is very funny, but, if you are like me, the sight of rats cooking is not all that appealing. The only real flaw in the movie is toward the end where there is this sort of false ending that is proceeded by more action, another climax, and a bit of an anticlimactic second ending. Perhaps this unexpected bonus time after my mind thought the movie was over contributed to the feeling that the movie was about 20 minutes too long. See it though, it is good. 3 Stars

V: I really liked it, a great fish-out-of-water/rat-in-the-kitchen story. I do agree that the huge family of rats scurrying around the kitchen was shudder inducing - which is probably the main reason I didn't give this one full marks. When the show looked like it was going to wrap up, I'm really glad it didn't - it would've been too simple, too trite. Instead, it further explored the complications of pride, loyalty, peer pressure - and the reality of the problem of a rat in the kitchen. So I really ended up liking this show. Really fun and unique - The Pixar people don't disappoint. 3 1/2 stars

The Simpson's Movie

A classic TV show gone movie length.

V: Didn't disappoint. Funny, moving, inspiring - just like the TV show. 3 stars.

M: As far as I am concerned, the Simpsons is perhaps the best TV show of all time. This created a high bar in my mind for the movie. (as I have learned during this primary election season, its called the “expectations game”). The movie was good. But maybe my expectations were too high. Much like when Wallace and Gromit came out with a movie, I came away a little bit disappointed. Maybe both shows are best in 30 minute increments. Having said that, it is still the Simpsons; don’t miss it. 3 stars.