The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - This is a mostly entertaining sci-fi comedy based on the British cult radio program from the early 70s. It is very silly in a Monty Python sort of way and will no doubt have you chuckling throughout even if you never really get into it. The special effects and production design are all well done and the abbreviated plotline adapted from the radio program is somewhat slight but doesn't contain any unnecessary filler. The performances are okay. Sam Rockwell stands out as, Zaphod Beeblebox, President of the Universe (or is it the Galaxy?) as does Alan Rickman's vocal performance of a manic-depressive robot. Some things really aren't meant for the big screen and this might be one of them. It is very hard to say. This is definitely a weird, marginally interesting film. Rated PG. The Grade: B-

A Lot Like Love starring Ashton Kutcher and Amanda Peet. It is very hard to make a fresh romantic comedy these days but director Nigel Cole has done just that with A Lot Like Love. It helps that the romantic leads have such charisma and the supporting cast is also likeable. The storyline deals with seven years in the life of the two love birds and is smart and hip. While it isn't rocket science and cheats believability every once in a while it manages to entertain throughout. Every time I thought I was going to get bored the movie shifted gears. Hooray!! A nice, fun time at the movies!! The film is rated R for sexual content, mild nudity & language. The Grade: B

There is really only one truly must see film out there and that is Sin City - It's jam packed with the most phenomenal special effect laden visuals of the year and a wicked sense of humor. Note - Some of the over-the-top noir dialogue is cheesy, especially when spoken by the females, and since it's based on three separate Frank Miller graphic novels, it end up being a movie with three separate parts - too bad, because the stories could have been easily interwoven into a masterpiece - the grade: B+.

After this, the only other worthwhile films out there are The Ring Two and if you're really desperate, dot the i - in the case of The Ring Two we have a sequel which is consistently as scary as the first one but doesn't add anything new (or any logic) to the mix and definitely doesn't have nearly as good a payoff as the original - the grade: B-.

As far dot the i (which moved from the Ken to Landmark La Jolla most likely because of the popularity of it's charismatic star Gael Garcia Bernal) we get a film loaded with good ideas and gimmicks a plenty but as the minutes pass by the ridiculous plotline catches up with everything and you realize that while it has been entertaining it hasn't been that great of a flick - the grade:C+