I want to make an effort to see the Oscar contenders, at least the ones I think I can stomach – you know, the ones that aren’t too pretentious. That led me to Juno, the tale of a small-town teenage girl dealing with an unexpected pregnancy. I knew this wasn’t the typical teen pregnancy story, because the screenwriter used humor to tell the story rather than the more obvious serious approach. Juno is a cautionary tale, but it is more sweet than bitter.

Directed by Jason Reitman (Thank You For Smoking), Juno plays out like real life. There is nothing glamorous about the title character (portrayed by newcomer Ellen Page), though she’s a cute kid. There’s nothing sexy about the manner in which she got pregnant, and there’s nothing cool about the pregnancy. Quite simply, it sucks. Juno has to deal with all the unfortunate byproducts of teen pregnancy, from disapproving stares to judgmental comments. Fortunately she has the support of her parents, best friend, and her pseudo-boyfriend and father of her unborn child. That role is played by Michael Cera (Superbad). I have to say that the casting is perfect, because the young couple really is quite sweet, and we can see that they are just babies themselves. Jennifer Garner (The Kingdom) and Jason Bateman (Smokin’ Aces) also gives strong performances as a young couple who are tied to Juno in a manner in which I won’t reveal, so as not to spoil it for you. I was particularly impressed with Garner, and I think she’s showing she’s the real deal and has successfully made the transition from small to big screen. Ellen Page made Juno a loveable girl you couldn’t help rooting for, and she conveyed the naiveté, frustration, and ultimate triumph of the character wonderfully. She was also funny as hell. This kid is up for an Oscar for the performance. She probably won’t win, but no one can say she doesn’t deserve it.

Juno is one of those small, sweet, endearing indie films that critics love. I think the most fitting term is “sleeper.” I can go with that, seeing as how the movie seems like a charming underdog. It’s nominated for 4 Oscars, and by the looks of it the budget was pretty small. It’s also a first-time effort for screenwriter Diablo Cody. Cody managed to craft a film that never came across as preachy or like a drag, but at the same time is not going to make teen girls want to run out and have a baby. I think it’s pretty hard to warn someone without lecturing them, and to accept something without condoning it. Cody managed to do this with teen pregnancy, a touchy subject given some of today’s headlines. Not bad for a first try, huh? Good luck to everyone associated with this movie, it was a joy to watch.

I’m going to make more of an effort to broaden my horizons and step outside of my comfort zone with my movie choices. For example, “feel good” movies are NOT my thing. They’re fine, but I prefer darker movies. I don’t really go to the movies to be inspired. Maybe that makes me a screwed up person, I don’t know. I was reluctant to see The Great Debaters, Denzel Washington’s second directorial effort, because I knew it was one of those tear-jerk happy ending numbers. After watching it I feel embarrassed for having been so hesitant. It was inspiring, but there’s certainly nothing wrong with that.

As you probably know, the movie is a fictional account of the true story of the debate team of Wiley College, a tiny Black school in Texas. Set in 1935, the film shows the courage, intelligence, and tenacity of the young debaters and their instructor, portrayed by Washington. It culminates in the team’s historic victory over Harvard. I haven’t given anything away, and if you have a TV you already knew everything I’ve relayed thus far. Comprised primarily of newcomers, the cast was very impressive, and there are some faces to watch for in the future. Denzel Whitaker and Nate Parker star as James Farmer and Henry Lowe, respectively. Farmer is the youngest member of the team, a sweet, smart young man whose affection for teammate Samantha Brooke (Jurnee Smollett of Roll Bounce and Eve’s Bayou) is both comical and endearing. Henry Lowe is the most confident, headstrong member of the team, and he and Washington’s character briefly clash as Henry learns just who is in charge. Jurnee Smollett continues to show that she is no flash in the pan, and gives a weighty performance. As a matter of fact, with the inclusion of Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland) and Kimberly Elise (John Q), this cast was truly amazing. It’s nice to see a movie based on true events that inspires hope and leaves room for the possibility of wonderful things in life. The Great Debaters accomplished this without sugarcoating the racial atrocities that took place during the time period. It is this authenticity that makes the movie more than a cutesy, “feel good” flick, and for that reason I recommend it without reservation.

Although Tom Hanks (The DaVinci Code), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote) and Julia Roberts (Ocean’s Twelve) are accomplished actors, their presence in Charlie Wilson’s War wasn’t enough to erase my skepticism about the movie. Oh sure, with these three I knew it couldn’t be bad, but I wasn’t exactly sold on the subject matter. Seemed like there’d be ample opportunity for a case of heavy eyelids. I like being wrong sometimes. To state it simply, this movie was great. I have no shame in admitting that political movies sometimes leave me stupefied, but I was able to keep up with this one, LOL.

Directed by the acclaimed Mike Nichols (The Graduate, Closer) the film is set in 1980. In 1980 I was a year old, so there was no personal recollection of any events for me. A brief plot synopsis: Hanks is the title character, a congressman from TX who secretly becomes involved in helping the people of Afghanistan fight the Soviets after they invade their country. Julia Roberts plays Texas gal Joanne Herring, a salty southern belle and old friend of Charlie’s who wants him to take a stand. Up until this point Charlie’s main activities consist of cavorting with women and doing small favors for other congressmen. He’s a lovable hound, but now he has a chance to do something meaningful. And he does. Along with Gust Avrakatos (played by Hoffman), Charlie begins to outfit the Afghans with the weaponry they need to defend themselves. I feel like my description hasn’t done much to convince you to run out and catch this movie, but it was damn good. Funny, entertaining, and uniquely heartwarming. There was never a dull moment, actually. It is definitely worth checking out, and probably the best movie for Hanks and Roberts in quite a while.

Will Smith (The Pursuit of Happyness) has the perfect mix of charisma and talent, making him a joy to watch. This was apparent from his early movie appearances of the mid-90’s and is still true today. Hopefully when it’s all said and done, the two- time Academy Award nominee will have a gold statue for his mantle. In the meantime, most of his movies are must-see, for me at least. I say most, because I can recall a few skippable ones (The Legend of Bagger Vance, Wild Wild West anyone?). Nevertheless, count me among Will Smith’s many fans.

I Am Legend is the apocalyptic tale of Robert Neville, a doctor and sole survivor of a catastrophic virus that has destroyed the world’s population. For unknown reasons, Neville is immune to the virus. His days are spent broadcasting a radio message to any survivors, roaming around Manhattan, hitting a few golf balls, and otherwise trying to maintain his sanity in the absence of human companionship. His only company is Sam, his loyal German Shepherd. Lest you think that the only point of this movie is to watch a solitary Smith amuse himself like Tom Hanks in Castaway, let me fill you in on the other key detail I’ve neglected to mention. Some humans were not killed by the virus, rather they mutated into nocturnal zombie-like creatures who fed on survivors after the initial outbreak. Neville must make sure he returns home before dusk, or else he will have to contend with these creatures. Although immune to the virus, he can still be killed by them, just not infected. He feverishly works on a cure for the virus by altering samples of his own blood and then (dangerously) administering the doses to the creatures. As Neville soon learns, the zombies are super strong, and their resourcefulness and intelligence become manifest with unfortunate consequences.

Will Smith shines in roles that allow him to show his broad range of emotions. He is particularly skilled at non-verbal acting, when he allows his face and eyes to do the talking. He doesn’t just cry, he cries differently, if that makes any sense. Think about it. The way you’d cry if your grandma died is not the same way you’d cry if your boyfriend/girlfriend cheated on you. Feel me? Smith is a master at delivering the perfect display of emotion. I was also very impressed with director Francis Lawrence’s depiction. I’ve never heard of him directing anything other than music videos, so for him to be able to create such a terrific feature film is nothing short of AMAZING. I’ve raved about the movie thus far, but it was not without its flaws. I always say that in terms of audience approval, movies can be won or lost in the last 5 minutes, and I Am Legend does not end strongly, which was a shame. You want to leave the audience on a high note, which just means a strong note, not necessarily a happy ending. You don’t want to erase all the good shit that unfolded in the previous hour and a half. I Am Legend falls short in its plausibility and will leave you scratching your head at certain parts, but I suggest you check it out. It was fascinating to watch Neville’s daily routine, his sanity bolstered only by his desire to find a cure and by the constant presence of man’s best and only friend, Sam. I Am Legend will leave you on the edge of your seat, if nothing else. Smith meets the challenge of carrying the movie by himself, and if you’re foolish enough to have neglected his talent before, you’ll be a believer by the time the credits roll.

This was the sweetest little movie, a warm holiday flick that touted the virtues of family without coming across corny or hokey. This Cristmas is the second recent ensemble movie featuring a primarily Black cast, the first being Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married? There aren’t any more similarities between the two movies, and what made This Christmas so enjoyable was that it was not contrived or forced; it was just a depiction of family life to which most people can relate, regardless of ethnicity. No family is perfect, but it’s those imperfections that make us human, and what would any holiday be without a little family drama anyway?

The movie centers on the Whitfield family, a middle-class clan whose members reunite every year for Christmas. Matriarch “Ma’Dere” (Loretta Devine, Crash) plays peacemaker to her six children, three boys and three girls. Her children are eldest son Quentin (Idris Elba, American Gangster), middle son Claude (Columbus Short, Stomp the Yard), youngest son “Baby” (Chris Brown, Stomp the Yard), and daughters Kelli (Sharon Leal, Why Did I Get Married?), Lisa (Regina King, Miss Congeniality 2), and Mel (Lauren London, ATL). Her long-time live-in boyfriend and surrogate father to the kids is Joe, played by Delroy Lindo (Clockers). Tension arises and mounts when the children discover that Baby has been keeping a secret from Ma’Dere, something that would barely raise an eyebrow in a typical family, but is a major cause of concern for Ma’Dere due to the fact that her husband abandoned their family many years ago to pursue his musical aspirations. As she puts it, “certain men just don’t need to be married.” Word, I hear you, LOL. Baby’s not the only one keeping a secret, however – and when the collective cats are out of the bag, this Christmas won’t soon be forgotten. Some plot fixtures are predictable, like the fact that one of the girls’ mates is a scumbag, and one of them can’t cook. We’ve seen and heard it before, but that’s okay because the cast and movie is so endearing. Just because you know what you’re getting doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it, right? That’s how I looked at it. Of course all’s well that end’s well, but the fun is in getting there, and I think you’ll be entertained throughout. This movie doesn’t present the Whitfields as picture perfect, so when the positive aspects of various characters are displayed, it doesn’t seem unrealistic.

Though not quite as good, This Christmas is the best family drama/comedy since Soul Food, and definitely worth seeing during the holiday season.

Wow. No Country For Old Men has left me tongue-tied. I don’t even know where to begin. This was truly a superbly intense, well-acted and extremely well-written film. The dialogue was excellent, and that’s why I love the movies: you get to hear people say the coolest shit that no one says in real life. The movie is written and directed by Ethan and Joel Coen (O Brother Where Art Thou), a critically acclaimed pair whose work I’m not terribly familiar with. The only movies I’ve seen that one or both have been associated with are Intolerable Cruelty and a garish old movie called Blood Simple. I’d like to meet their parents, just to see the people who birthed these twisted geniuses.

No Country For Old Men’s plot is simple enough. A drug deal has gone wrong, leaving a band of Mexican drug dealers murdered in the middle of the Texas desert. When a passerby named Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin, American Gangster) stumbles upon the human carnage and helps himself to a couple of million dollars, he thinks he’s gotten away with a pretty sweet find. However, I’d like to borrow and slightly alter a quote from Jackie Brown (one of my faves) and point out that 2 million dollars will always be missed. On the trail of the money (and thereby Llewelyn) is Anton Chigurh (pronounced shoo-GAR’), a hired gun, hitman, and assassin – whatever you wanna call him. Homie put the psycho in psychopath; you have never seen anything like this dude. He might be the scariest MF on screen since Hannibal Lecter. Only difference is Chigurh doesn’t eat people. I think he have might have old Lecter beat though…this guy is positively frightening to look at. It doesn’t happen often, but have you ever seen somebody out in public, and they just look scary as hell? Maybe that’s only happened to me, but one time I pulled up to a stop light and looked in the car next to me at its driver and caught a chill. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but the guy just looked scary, and I quickly looked away and didn’t look back. He looked like the type of guy who had something in his trunk, and I don’t mean a spare tire. Chigurh is like that – the type of cat that if you saw in real life, you’d go the other way, trust me. Look at him: http://www.lashorasperdidas.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/javier-bardem-en-no-country-for-old-men.jpg He kills at will, savagely resourceful and unstoppable. The movie takes place in 1980, and also stars Tommy Lee Jones (U.S. Marshals) as a lawman in pursuit of Chigurh, trying to reach Llewelyn first. The movie personifies the TX stereotype of “salt of the earth” folks. Lewelyn is a “man’s man” and so is Tommy Lee Jones’ character. They are old school men, the antithesis of the pretty-boy metrosexual. As a matter of fact, Llewelyn almost matches Chigurh in guts and fearlessness, and Josh Brolin deserves an award for his portrayal. Nearly all of the men in this movie are larger-than-life cowboy types who (pardon my French) seem to have brass balls. I don’t think they really make men like that anymore, LOL.

On a more cinematic note, The TX landscape was filmed beautifully, serving as the perfect backdrop to a movie that at times felt like a Western. The movie was filmed in washed-out tones, which illustrated the starkness of it all, from the geography of the desert to the pallor of Chigurh’s skin. Sometimes I see a movie that throws me for a loop and stuns me into speechlessness. It doesn’t happen often, but all I can say about No Country For Old Men is that it was one of those movies that will leave you in awe. It’s ranked #31 in the top 250 movies of all time on IMDB, so take that for what it’s worth. Go see it if you remotely enjoyed any of the following: A History of Violence, Blood Simple, or American Psycho.

Stephen King has created another masterpiece. He is a truly gifted storyteller, able to capture the essence of fear in all its forms, and there are many. There is obvious fear, perhaps signified by the presence of a monster, creature, alien, maybe even an axe-wielding psychopath. Then there are the more sinister types of fear…fear of the unknown, fear in the presence of unseen evil. There is terror, which may be all the different types of fear rolled into one. In any event, King (along with screenwriter Frank Darabont) has mastered the art of creeping you the fuck out, and I don’t think I scare too easily. You may think The Mist is a horror movie, and to a large extent that would be an accurate assumption. But it’s much, much more than that. It is just as much of a study in psychology and human behavior as it is a horror movie.

The film is set in a sleepy Maine(?) town that is enveloped by a mysterious mist that wafts in following a strong storm. A number of residents become trapped in a small grocery store when the mist first appears, and it is here where most of the action transpires. What’s the big deal about mist, you ask? There’s something in it that snatches you up, never to be seen or heard from again, except for your dying screams. Believe it or not, that’s not even the scary part. The most frightening aspect of the film is its examination of human behavior and group mentality when societal constraints crumble and the true nature of man is revealed. If the shit is hitting the fan and you’re possibly facing armageddon, there are worse places to be trapped than the supermarket, right? You would think that adults could survive for quite a while, considering that food and shelter are plentiful. Not so. In the face of disaster and fear, chaos erupts, with chilling results. I was reminded of one of my favorite books from high school, Lord of the Flies. What is the true nature of man? Good or evil? This question is posed directly and becomes a driving force in the film. Thomas Jane (The Punisher) is the main character who grapples with the more difficult choices, and Marcia Gay Harden (The Invisible) portrays his foil, a vocal religious zealot who personifies the danger of “groupthink,” the phenomenon by which people lose sense of themselves and behave in ways they normally would not when they are allowed to cloak themselves in the anonymity of a group setting.

The Mist is a frightening, riveting movie that leaves you feeling something deep inside and will leave you reeling, kinda like The Sixth Sense may have done years ago. In some ways it’s the most powerful, penetrating movie I’ve seen all year. Don’t see it alone like I did, see it with someone so the two of you can appreciate it together.

Robert Redford (A River Runs Through It) offers his latest directorial effort in Lions for Lambs, a thought-provoking and slightly biased persepctive on the war in Iraq and U.S. foreign policy. The film presents three viewpoints, each substory illustrating a different message.

Redford is featured as a college professor who attempts to encourage a promising but disillusioned student to take a more proactive role in his life and in the lives of others. The second dynamic presented in the movie is an exchange between characters portrayed by Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada) and Tom Cruise (Mission Impossible: III). Streep is reporter Janine Roth, and she’s landed an exclusive interview with a rising star in the Republican party and staunch supporter of the war, Senator Jasper Irving. His name is Jasper. *snicker* Anyway, Irving pretty much spoon-feeds Roth his pro-war rhetoric, spinning the story every step of the way. He wants to unveil a new strategy in the war on terror, which brings us to the third and final perspective in the movie, that of two soldiers on the ground in Iraq. Derek Luke (Catch a Fire) and Michael Pena (Crash, Shooter) are Arian and Earnest, two bright, brave young soldiers who are part of a military unit charged with executing the first step in the new strategy being pushed by Senator Irving. So there’s the connection to the Streep-Cruise part of the movie. Earnest and Arian are also former students of Redford’s professor. Thus the three stories are loosely interconnected, and each perspective exalts a different moral lesson. The ideas most notably put forth by Redford are the notions that ill-conceived military operations and wars exploit and waste the lives of our best and brightest, and that this continues because most of us are sheep, and the few of us that aren’t don’t care enough to get involved. (this explains the title, do you get it? the soldiers are the lions and our faceless government and its scores of minions are the lambs). Simple enough, and not exactly groundbreaking. I oversimplified it a bit, but that’s it in a nutshell.

What makes Lions a thought-provoking movie is that it inevitably challenges the viewer to ask him/herself where exactly they fall on the spectrum. It also examines the nobility of soldiers fighting a less-than-honorable war and presents the notion that doing something is better than doing nothing and talking about it. On that note, Redford is to be commended for creating a film that unabashedly disapproves of the war in Iraq but lauds the reasons why extraordinary individuals are compelled to contribute. Some may find the film to be rather heavy-handed in its execution, but it was interesting nonetheless.

Lions for Lambs is a thoughtful, quietly entertaining film. A political movie with a message, it’s not for those with short attention spans, but the more mature moviegoer should find it enjoyable.

Director Ridley Scott (Alien, Black Hawk Down), Denzel Washington (Déjà vu), and Russell Crowe (Cinderella Man) set the bar astronomically high in this film about the rise and ultimate demise of NY drug lord Frank Lucas. Fun fact: Washington and Crowe previously teamed up in 1995’s Virtuosity, back when Crowe’s career was in its infancy, at least in the States. It goes without saying that both actors’ performances easily surpassed their previous joint effort.

American Gangster starts with a jolt, the brutal image of Frank Lucas executing some poor soul for an unknown offense. He sets the man ablaze and then finishes off the job with a series of quick gunshots. And so it begins, a tale that is at varying times touching, tense, awkward, and violent. The opening scene prepares us for the notion that you never know what Lucas is capable of, and that with Frank Lucas, like most gangsters, a violent undercurrent steadily bubbles under a seemingly cool exterior. Yet Lucas is never unjustifiably short-tempered, he is never a loose cannon. When he “snaps,” the recipient of his rage is always well-deserving, and so Lucas is not fearsome or ruthless in his violence, but rather measured and calculated. He is a man who can blow someone’s brains out in broad daylight on a crowded street, then re-enter his favorite diner and resume his meal as if he merely stepped out to feed a parking meter. Some actors are can’t miss, and Denzel Washington is as close to a sure thing as you can get. He brings his standard charm and cocky swagger to the role, conveying Lucas’ duality with relish and authenticity. Frank Lucas is a man that can set another human being on fire, but is almost child-like in his adoration of his mother. His anger is equally matched by the love and affection he has for his family, and the tenderness he shows with his wife-a demure young beauty queen who melts under Lucas’ warm and steady gaze when they first meet. This is a performance that Washington seemed to enjoy delivering, a brief return to the villainous capability he displayed in Training Day, but to compare the two roles would be a disservice to Washington as an actor.

I would be remiss if I don’t leave the impression that American Gangster is as much about Frank Lucas as it is about the lawman who hunts him: Officer Richie Roberts, a professionally scrupulous but personally questionable man who initially underestimates Lucas’ power and influence. I’m not a huge Russell Crowe fan, but the man is an outstanding actor and turns in a compelling performance. You’re forced to be a part of his experience, because the movie constantly shifts between Roberts and Lucas, which brings me to one of the things that bothered me about the film. The frequent scene changes and introduction of subplots and side stories were a mild distraction and made the movie feel as if it was moving in a thousand directions. As a viewer, I was bombarded with images and characters that served as brief breaks from what I felt was the principal story: Frank Lucas and the cop who pursues him. Perhaps the writers wanted to flesh out back stories so that the viewer had a complete perception of the character. For example, there is a great deal of time spent showing the interaction between Roberts and his partner, and Roberts and his estranged wife. In some respects the movie seemed like a collection of scenes rather than a cohesive film.

Director Ridley Scott effectively captured the hopelessness of the heroin epidemic of the 1970s, although some of his scenes of junkies shooting up wore thin and became disgustingly gratuitous after a while. Another observation is that other characters were relegated to the periphery, whether they were members of Lucas’ family (roles played by Common and TI) or other tangential characters whose purpose and function remained vague and ambiguous. I’ll leave you with this parting thought. American Gangster is not the instant classic you think it is. It’s not the best drug movie, it’s not the best cop vs. kingpin movie, it’s not a movie I will see twice in theaters (surprising for me), nor is it the best Denzel Washington movie. It is a slightly underdeveloped, highly ambitious, gritty spectacle, which is saved by Washington’s larger-than-life performance. Oh yeah, Ridley Scott is no Martin Scorcese. Scorcese is still the master of the gangster epic, and I found myself wondering how much better the movie would’ve been in his hands. I do give Scott credit for capturing the atmosphere and time period. There’s an amusing scene where Officer Roberts sees a microwave for the first time, and little details like that give the movie a subtle boost. Anyway, enough rambling. American Gangster is one of those movies you need to see for yourself. It was noticealby imperfect, but I enjoyed it. You be the judge.

Let me say something about myself before I talk about the movie. I don’t try to be snobby about the movies I like. I’m no more qualified to critique a movie then the next person. However, let me pose this question…does a person have to know how to sing to appreciate a beautiful voice? Hell no. I’m no Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey, but I know lousy singing when I hear it, and I know a good voice when I hear it. Similarly, I’ve never written or directed a movie (yet), but I know good movies when I see ‘em. And I know bad ones…so keep that in mind as you read this review.

When it comes to writer/director/actor Tyler Perry, I think his motto should be “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” He has a loyal fanbase, and has been a cash cow for Lions Gate the past few years. Black folks are gonna show up for Tyler Perry’s movies, period. My friends and I had to try not one, not two, but three theaters before we were able to find a show that wasn’t sold out. I’ve never seen any of Perry’s films before, and I was looking forward to taking in this movie, largely because of its appealing ensemble cast. I was hoping for an entertaining and thoughtful drama that explored the difficulties that married couples face. Why Did I Get Married? has drawn obvious comparisons to the 1980’s drama The Big Chill, which also involves a group of married friends who reunite at a vacation home, where secrets are revealed and relationships are tested. Perry admits he hasn’t seen The Big Chill. Maybe he should have. If he would’ve ripped it off he might have turned out with a better movie.

Why Did I Get Married? is pleasing to look at it, well-intentioned, and entertaining. However, the characters and the storyline were utterly predictable, and completely one-dimensional. The movie is about four couples who gather periodically for a retreat/vacation to bond, reflect, and learn about one another. This year the group agrees to meet at a cabin in the snowy mountains of Colorado. Terry (Tyler Perry) and Diane (Sharon Leal of Dreamgirls) are a doctor and lawyer, respectively. Janet Jackson (The Nutty Professor) is Patricia, an award-winning psychiatrist and author. Her husband is Gavin (Malik Yoba), a successful architect. Angela (Tasha Smith of ATL) and Marcus provide the comic relief as sharp-tongued shrew and hen-pecked hubby. Rounding out the cast are Mike (Richard T. Jones of The Wood and Kiss The Girls) and Sheila, played by the lovely Jill Scott. The couples suffer from varying degrees of dysfunction, from the obvious to the hidden. Mike is a grade-A asshole, berating Sheila at every turn. It’s unbelievable that the two were ever married in the first place. And that’s the problem. Terry’s characters are unnecessarily overdrawn and completely over-the-top. It’s like he dumbed it down. I wanted to say, we get it, Mike’s a jerk! His character was almost a caricature, and it detracted from the movie by adding a degree of absurdity. Speaking of detractions, there were SEVERAL times during the movie where a microphone could be seen in the shot. Apparently this only happened in my particular showing (go figure), but it was a major drawback. It was hard to take the movie seriously when in the middle of a dramatic scene the damn mic is hanging down. Back to the performances. Everyone did a good job, with what they were given. There were several funny moments, but some of the scenes were a lesson in overkill. It’s like Perry used a sledgehammer to nail in a thumbtack. But hey, like I said; if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. If you want to see an attractive cast in a funny and occasionally entertaining movie, check it out. If you’re looking for a provocative movie that will play out better than an episode of The Young and The Restless, maybe you should take a pass. Why Did I Get Married? might have you asking Why Did I See This Movie?