It's nowhere near as funny or incisive as the South Park movies, and it has a much crazier style. Imagine Abraham Lincoln chatting up a giant milkshake and discussing slavery, and you get the picture.

Mary Reilly, a perversely courageous disaster that audiences will simply hate. [23 Feb 1996]

Secret isn't the usual romp, but it's Almodovar's most committed work in years. [7 Mar 1996]

The problem here isn't grimness but a failure to make grimness wrench the heart. [18 Oct 1996]

Yet because this adaptation of Franz Lidz's childhood memoir is odd enough and even stylish enough to attract a small following, you might want to weigh my ingrained dyspepsia before electing not to see it. [15 Sep 1995]

Canyon is similarly slick, though even more heavy-handed in hammering home its points. [26 Dec 1991]

Higher Learning: John Singleton's ambitious potpourri of on-campus tensions - date rape, black power, white supremacy - all too quickly lapses into pandering preachiness. [17 Feb 1995, p.4D]

It's easier to take Hi-Heel Sneakers by Tommy Tucker- more seriously. [20 Dec 1991]

It isn't really dull (only dulled), and the leads are remarkable; one could, in fact, lavish a lot more praise if this labor of love weren't burdened by the year's dopiest movie wrap-up. [23 Nov 1990]

One hesitates to call David Cronenberg's movie of David Henry Hwang's Tony-winning play conventional or tame, but certainly it is zestless given a filmmaker whose last three outings have been "The Fly," "Dead Ringers" and "Naked Lunch." [01 Oct 1993]

Has some strong acting. But largely because of its glacial pacing, the story ends up feeling too detached to move us as it should.

Borderline ponderous in hour one, Wyatt Earp picks up once it reaches Dodge, thanks in part to drolly delivered guffaw lines from sunken-cheeked Dennis Quaid, who lost 43 pounds to play tubercular Doc Holliday. [24 Jun 1994, p.1D]

Poor, no-respect ABBA gets tweaked repeatedly in this unexpectedly handsome widescreen import - though, in keeping with the movie's soft tone, the gooning isn't mean-spirited or even all that catty. [10 Aug 1994]

Both leads and young Harris make Crooklyn an exasperating might-have-been, especially given the movie's surprisingly affecting wrap-up. There's no dearth of human feeling here, but a dearth of craft. [13 May 1994, p.8D]

Spike Lee deserved a vacation after putting himself through the grueling emotions of Clockers, but Girl 6 is too flimsy to excuse even as cinematic R&R. Frenetic but lazily conceived, it's like one of those puny low-budget toss-offs Brian De Palma used to spring on us when he thought nobody was looking. [22 Mar 1996, p.4D]

The more real Friday gets, the better it is. [26 Apr 1995]

A rote variation on Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper that is marginally salvaged by those spunky Olsen twins from ABC's Full House. [17 Nov 1995]

A few bits are filler, albeit funny filler. But those who would rather laugh than cry at weddings ( will say "I do'' to Bride. [20 Dec 1991, p.1D]

Martin, Keaton and cinematographer William A. Fraker put this retro fluff over better than expected early on, but hour 2 is only for those who don't want their equilibriums rattled by surprises. [8 Dec 1995, p.1D]

Though John Travolta and Christian Slater don boxing gloves to open the dippy but zippy Broken Arrow, the real slugfest in director John Woo's elaborately mounted action pic is between content and style. Call it a draw, and call the movie's content a Speed derivative. [9 Feb 1996, p.1D]

Drollness on screen can sometimes be had cheaply, but a perfect cast is tougher to bankroll. Hal Hartley's new comedy has both - enough to defuse the smugness that seems to linger in its soul. [15 Aug 1991]

This movie-within-a-movie action-comedy spoof is a too long, too loud tease as it toys with the Schwarzen-dude's well-toned cinematic image. [18 Jun 1993, p.1D]

Bug won't get under your skin as much as it will assault you with its ghastly claustrophobic drama and over-the-top performances.

There is cinematic art, and there's a good evening out; this is the latter. [15 Mar 1991]

The movie, though, is more of the same: another current comedy with want-to-see elements that fails to deliver the goods. [01 Jul 1992]

Despite Murphy's campaigning, Gentleman deserves a veto. [04 Dec 1992]

In its third go-round, the Lethal Weapon arsenal is running out of ammunition. [15 May 1992]

Don't look for any belly laughs, but Quick Change will help you put on a happy face. [13 Jul 1990, p. 4D]

Another 48 HRS. doesn't offer a whole lot beyond Eddie Murphy, Nick Nolte, and Walter Hill's action-scene flair, but are you telling me the first 48 HRS. did? Bottom line: Eddie-Nick enthusiasts and Paramount accountants won't cry 96 tears. [8 Jun 1990, p.1D]

This cliche primer is a bit more than bearable - even when it's literally and figuratively off the track. It's no Cocktail, but it's no Dom Perignon, either. [27 Jun 1990, p.1D]

De Niro's widely praised performance is like the rest of the film: competent, a product of hard work and borderline mechanical. I like much of Awakenings, including several supporting performances - but like Big, it left me just a little cold. [20 Dec 1990, p.5D]

Gracie is ably played by Carly Schroeder, and the tale of her uphill battle to play competitive soccer is based on the youthful activism of actress Elisabeth Shue. Shue was the first person in her New Jersey community to break down the hurdles erected to keep girls from the sport.

A sentimental comedy about mental illness (complete with a sitcom family), wobbly Bob offers further evidence that Disney itself may be afflicted with encroaching schizophrenia. [17 May 1991]

Warm, squishy and manipulative, like being slobbered on by a mongrel pup that's begging for more Snausages.[03 Jun 1994]

Scoundrels isn't rock-bottom. That a more sturdy vehicle couldn't be found for such stellar leads, though, is a dirty rotten shame. [14 Dec 1988, p. 4D]

There are some laughs, Murphy is appealing and the ancient theme of love conquering all is beguiling. But America's mean-spiritedness lingers after its pastel-pretty ending.

The borderline Parenthood is either an iffy comedy with lots of compensations, or a good comedy with more irritating flaws than most movies manage to survive. Whichever, the "feel good'' infantry of summer-film escapists will probably love it. [2 Aug 1989, p.5D]

Heckerling stoops to the obvious at times and there are two car chases too many. But Look Who's Talking never insults the intelligence of adults or babies, and that's quite a feat for any comedy. [13 Oct 1989, p.4D]

A faithful, technically brilliant, but also dramatically malnourished film of J.G. Ballard's popular World War II novel. [08 Dec 1987]

This senior-class Cabaret is just a TV after-school special with a better soundtrack. [05 Mar 1993]

Newsies' drag is its predictable script.... It's not a bad hook, but the treatment is uninspired, despite a fairly engaging turn by Bale. [08 Apr 1992]

Bale tends to be overwrought and self-conscious as he wrestles with his demons, here in both '60s flashbacks (the liveliest segment) and in the 1977 present, in which punk clubs and easy women represent temptation. [09 Apr 1999]

The result isn't pretentious, but is the tongue-in-cheeking ever slight. The murders are treated as jokes, there's a horror-motif rock video, and Harry dodges enough bullets with Patricia Clarkson to arm Sands of Iwo Jima. [13 Jul 1988, p.1D]

Maybe it's too much to ask that rationality and surprise accompany Heat's blood, bullets and busted-up cars. Red Heat is just lukewarm. [17 Jun 1988, p.1D]

The tone is consistent, but consistently uneventful. [06 May 1994]

Nancy Drew is 16, dresses like she's 12 and acts like she's about 45. And therein lies the problem with this adaptation of the beloved book series. The movie can't quite decide how old it wants to be -- or who it's for.

Exhale and enjoy Keenen Ivory Wayans' culturally disreputable I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, a sendup of black street comedy that's equally crude, funny - and sentimental. [26 Jan 1989, p.2D]

Director Joel Schumacher, whose pastel color schemes vitalized St. Elmo's Fire, gives this a sensual, at times even erotic, sheen. And a few subplot issues - single motherhood, runaway kids, midlife dating - hint that at least someone involved with this project intended to go after bigger game. [31 Jul 1987, p.4D]

Diverting enough if you want to see plenty of fast-paced action sequences, some heart-stopping chase scenes and plenty of things blow up.

The characters and plot lack even a shred of credibility.

In what universe would you expect to see Andy Samberg, Ian McShane and Sissy Spacek in the same movie? You have to give the makers of Hot Rod credit for creative and unlikely casting. But the credit pretty much ends there.

Feels as desperate and static as being trapped in a traffic jam.

The very rich are different from you and me. And much worse. That's basically the message of the disappointingly banal Nanny Diaries, a film that is even more lightweight and clichéd than the fluff that was the best-selling book.

It's a shame the aliens are so preachy, because this remake of the 1956 and 1978 versions of Invasion of the Body Snatchers features a top-notch cast in Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig and moments of unnerving terror.

Violent thrills and massive blood spills are the essence of the absurdly over-the-top action flick that is Shoot 'Em Up.

There's nothing very wise about The Brothers Solomon. It's a moderately funny premise in search of some real laughs.

Each twist and turn is so telegraphed and expected that the story feels wan and the comedy feeble.

Game Plan plays like an average sitcom that drags on. This sort of film shouldn't clock in at more than 90 minutes. There are worse ways to spend a few hours, but expect more predictability than laughs in this good-hearted, mindless entertainment.

Starts out with promise but staggers under the weight of trying to take on too much. The tone is murky: The story attempts to blend adolescent angst with fantasy adventure, and the result is rather clunky.

Dan in Real Life takes a pleasant premise and calls upon the talents of engaging actors and generally squanders both.

While it features three strong performance and the debut of a promising filmmaker, the story line is obvious and rather melodramatic.

Squanders the opportunity to give us a telling glimpse of the woman behind the ruff. Instead, the costume drama is all gilt and opulence.

Yet another ho-hum family comedy hits screens this weekend -- this one in peppermint holiday flavor.

It's not nearly as enjoyable as one of his rambling, meditative songs, though perhaps it is aspiring to be the cinematic equivalent. Give me "Tangled Up in Blue" any day over this incoherent, tangled trip.

An ambitious hodgepodge that is all bang and bluster.

Watching this movie feels a bit like being trapped on a weekend holiday with an unpredictable and seriously unhappy group of people.

Disappoints with its lack of character development and convoluted storytelling.

An ambitious but mind-numbingly tedious and often incomprehensible film.

This sequel is what you would expect: If you liked the original, you'll probably enjoy this retread. But be warned: It bogs down in a drawn-out scene near the end. There's certainly nothing to treasure about this movie, but if a popcorn movie with moderate intrigue and occasional humor is what you're after, this is just the ticket.

This misguided chick flick jumps through a lot of hoops just to state the obvious: "Life goes on, enjoy the time you have."

Each story has its moments, but "Air" lacks an overarching vision.

Though the tale may fall short on imagination, the principal actors make Over Her Dead Body livelier than one would expect.

It doesn't help that the performances are bland (particularly those of Christensen and Bilson) and that what comes out of their mouths is uninspired. Short on imagination and anchored by a wan hero, Jumper is a flight of fancy that never fully takes off.

Step Up 2 is one long, clichéd exercise in predictability with a couple of vibrant dance sequences and some unintentionally hilarious bad acting.

Feels slight and repetitive, even when there is no actual rewinding going on.

Turns out to be a tepid thriller that promises more than it delivers.

An ambitious and occasionally illuminating hybrid documentary. But a cacophony of sights and sounds and a disjointed narrative dilute the message.

Can't quite figure out what it wants to be. At times it strains to be a stately period drama about 16th-century political intrigue. Then it devolves into soap opera muck and emerges as a rather tame bodice ripper.

An intriguing and somber tale of disintegrating and disappointing relationships fused with a coming-of-age story.

Portentous and dull, the film features one of the worst over-the-top performances by Dennis Hopper, who plays an abusive father.

As clunky and humorless as its title.

While not exactly a zero, 21 lags and fails to measure up dramatically.

Often ponderous, sometimes pretentious and mostly clichéd, this contrived meditation on longing and loss feels like a missed opportunity.

Deception is not the cool, noirish thriller it tries to be. Despite a cast that includes double-crossers Hugh Jackman and Ewan McGregor and Michelle Williams caught in the middle, the film is a yawn.

Made of Honor has some funny moments, and it keeps your attention, but it's certainly not worth rushing out to the multiplex and paying top dollar for. Catch it on TV on a lazy afternoon with little else to do.

It's a story that feels familiar at best, hackneyed at worst, which is surprising and disappointing, as director Tom Vaughan also made last year's "Starter for 10," a charming British coming-of-age comedy.

Sometimes the most compelling real-life stories make better documentaries than dramas. Such would seem to be the case with The Children of Huang Shi.

Savage Grace is a thoroughly disturbing story, told in a detached style rendering the overall experience an unsettling blend of lurid and vacuous.

Though occasionally visually inventive, Kung Fu Panda is a disappointment when it comes to matters of simple black and white: the script.

Enraptured by bathroom humor that doesn't even reach sophomoric standards. It's more on the level of preschool.

Might have been more appropriately titled "Hodgepodge." What starts out with a sense of quirky fun loses direction and devolves into a mishmash of story lines.

Not so much a movie as an amusement park ride.

It feels like a wan version of the show -- one that has lost its otherworldly edge.

America loves dysfunctional families, but haven't we seen enough middle-aged losers who haven't grown up?

Like the last two "Pirates" movies, Australia is ambitious more than awe-inspiring, grandiose rather than grand, full of spectacle but not spectacular.

The saga is an undeniably heartwarming one about perseverance, hard work, and pride in community. And who could criticize that?

In the canon of comic-book movies, it's not as campy bad as the "Batman" starring George Clooney, but nowhere near the caliber of the Spider-Man movies or "The Dark Knight." It may have more style, but it's only a jot more entertaining than "Catwoman."

The predictable story feels as if it were written by a computer program labeled "sequel."

The film has some amusing moments and can be intriguing when it focuses on the slow transformation of a hopeless, faithless man.

Gets muddled in slapstick and crude humor.

A terrorist thriller that isn't so much suspenseful as overbearing. Though it aspires to be an intriguing political cautionary tale, the movie is mostly about the feverish and jarringly choreographed chase scenes.

It's tough to make it through Nights in Rodanthe without wincing at its sticky-sweet sentimentality.

Aspires to be epic, but mostly it's just unfocused, sprawling and badly in need of editing.

Anyone who has ever had an annoying neighbor will see their worst nightmares fulfilled in the overheated but entertaining Lakeview Terrace.

Not a movie to cozy up to. The twisted tale is only mildly intriguing, worth seeing mainly for the striking performance of Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot) as Hallam Foe, a creepy teenage voyeur beset with an Oedipal complex.

The potency of the acting is also undercut by leaden pacing and a sense of claustrophobia.

Though better than most of Perry's broad comedies, The Family That Preys still suffers from excessive predictability and mawkish sentiment, which detracts from the story's believability.

Despite questionable casting, wooden acting, laughable dialogue and truly awful makeup, nothing is likely to stop young girls from swarming to this kitschy adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's popular novel.

Somehow Statham comes out of this improbable thriller with his dignity intact.

Madonna's directorial debut, Filth and Wisdom, feels more like a collection of scenes than a fully drawn film.

Sex Drive does not fully satisfy our comic desires.

A brilliant idea that seems to lack the vision to be great.

Longs to be a smutty film with a heart of gold. Instead, it's a funny concept whose execution does not live up to its potential.

The film has its funny moments, but they are too few to make the holiday excursion worthwhile.

There is undoubtedly a good movie in the varied experiences of American newcomers. But it would need to involve sagas more urgent and more original.

The story, an updated version of the 1951 classic about a portentous extraterrestrial visit, feels musty and derivative, and not only because it's a remake.

The fantasy segments, played up in trailers, get bogged down amid the ho-hum tale of a loser making good.

Marley & Me might be easy to watch, but -- even for die-hard canine lovers -- it's as easy to forget.

A World War II thriller without enough thrills.

Though the film opens with an intriguing burnished look, it bogs down about halfway through with talkiness and uneven pacing.

Well-acted and involving.

Between the dogged efforts of the kids to save strays and the antics of the dogs, it's hard to resist this lively, though predictable, family movie.

A supernatural action thriller, is jangly, jarring and violent. But more disconcerting is watching the sweet-faced Dakota Fanning swear, get drunk and pack heat -- in both fists, no less.

Though not nearly as raucously funny as the leads in "Wedding Crashers," Nick and Shawn resemble junior versions of the one-track-minded womanizers played by Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson.

Though some scenes may be too intense for children, the action is slick, with robot clashes and airborne chases leaving the strongest impression.

Mediocre family fare that's simply not that much fun.

Dance Flick occasionally hits its mark with nimble execution. But too often it stumbles clumsily into bad taste.

The movie is an undeniable visual spectacle, but just as unequivocally a cheesy, ridiculous story.

Angels doesn't know when to quit: Just when you think it's over, it continues.

While it's intriguing to learn about all the players involved in creating a fashion line, there's too much minutiae to keep the attention of those who are not obsessed with design trends.

Although it's reasonably well-acted and offers a few certifiable jolts, feels awfully familiar.

Alien Trespass is good-natured, but it's a wan send-up. When it comes to paying homage to classic "B" horror movies, "Monsters vs. Aliens" is the more clever alternative.

It's hard not to wish the same wholesome message could be conveyed with a bit more finesse and originality.

Ghosts can't make up its mind whether it wants to be a racy raunchfest or a sentimental celebration of soul mates. So it ends up being a sappy, sleazy hybrid.

Lacks tension or mystery. Even the courtroom scenes feel artificial.

If you'd like to know about the famously eccentric psyche of surrealist artist Salvador Dali, whom Pattinson plays, you're better off consulting written biographies. Little Ashes does nothing to illuminate the iconic Spanish artist.

Next Day Air can't decide whether it's a broad stoner comedy or a gritty Tarantino-esque action flick. The humor is there, but violence brings the laughter to an abrupt halt.

This leaden teen comedy is meant to be lively, but it's curiously bland.

Once fresh, the story is now buried under a hoary coating.

Resembles an enthusiastic but undisciplined child running amok through an exhibit.

Abigail Breslin and Sofia Vassilieva are terrific. But the performances by the older actors are largely forgettable.

G-Force is unlikely to keep anyone older than 10 on the edge of his seat, and the bathroom humor may annoy adults. But the message of unity, while unoriginal, is consistently sweet.

Fame offers slick entertainment with some exuberance, but it's devoid of soul or heart.

The humor, largely centered around bodily functions and bathroom habits, is almost exclusively sophomoric.

It's hard to know just who the intended audience is: The movie is too surreal and bawdy for young kids and too silly for anyone older than 25.

Long on imaginative design but less substantial in narrative, this dreary story of fighting the power is more numbing than thought-provoking.

Though Imagine That's message is benign, its adult focus is off-base, and every move feels too familiar, formulaic and telegraphed.

Woody, please: Go back to the European locales that so energized you of late.

Love Happens is an oddly upbeat title for a movie that is surprisingly sad.

A slog rather than the sweeping romance it aspires to be.

Dull, dreary Answer Man raises this question: Why?

Half a howler but not nearly funny enough.

Jennifer's Body is not as hot as you hope it would be.

To paraphrase Devo: Whip It, not so good.

Some books are not meant to be adapted to the big screen. Alice Sebold's best-selling The Lovely Bones falls into that category.

It's Complicated is vacuous overall, although attractively packaged.

Deep within Law Abiding Citizen lurks a thought-provoking movie. But most of what we see on the screen is implausible, superficial and only marginally involving.

The biggest mystery in this wannabe thriller is why such topnotch actors would sign on for such a dreary movie that amounts to a mediocre soap opera.

It's good to see Polley back on screen, after her successful turn behind the camera directing 2006's "Away From Her." She brings a measure of intelligence to the one-dimensional role.

When it aims for humor, it feels overwrought and clichéd.

This Christmas Carol seems like a pale ghost of Dickens' magical Christmas classic.

What emerges is a banal horror film and a tepid action-adventure.

We'd all like to live in an Italian movie. So says a character in Nine, and it's probably the best line in this musical misfire.

It seems as if no professional actors were hired in the making of this motion picture.

Where it should be light and graceful, Leap Year trips and thuds.

Harrison Ford has obviously enrolled in the Al Pacino School of Old Man Acting. He yells, sputters and glowers his way through the ultra-ordinary and well-intentioned Extraordinary Measures.

A little bit of charm is precisely what this movie has to offer. A small dose is better than none, but you can't help wishing there was more to go around.

You're more likely to roll your eyes than swoon over this slow-moving and far-fetched love story.

Melodramatic and laden with cop-thriller clichés, the story, set in one of New York's toughest precincts, is contrived and inauthentic -- and also grisly.

Plausibility aside, the key to making the scenario work is comedy. Much can be forgiven if it delivers enough laughs. That's the main problem here. It's short on clever humor and big on convention and formula.

The contrived insult comedy here feels old, borrowed and blue.

For hilarity, characterization and clever structure, "The Hangover" is far superior. Still, there are some laughs in this uneven but good-natured raunchfest.

All the obvious elements combine to manipulate the audience into a weepy time at the movies -- again.

A cameo by a well-known actor in the final scene suggests there will be a third ride on this familiar marriage go-round.

The only death at this funeral was that of a good movie.

Though they have plenty of lethal weapons at their disposal, the Losers are nowhere near as fun as the '80s action-flick heroes they emulate.

When it comes to comedies about pregnancy, "Knocked Up" and "Baby Mama" delivered more. This sitcom style exercise in planned parenthood is blandly predictable. If it were a cheese, it would be Velveeta.

It's not the grand scale action-adventure it aspires to be, but this faux epic does offer family-friendly entertainment.

Cate Blanchett brings little but an arch toughness to the role of Marion, and, in a highly improbably climactic scene, proves herself a veritable knight. Crowe and Blanchett share a perfunctory romance, with few sparks.

Even within the most formulaic of genres, this Cinderella tale is uncommonly predictable.

Newell's rendering of the iconic novel is dull and creatively off-kilter, lacking the surreal magic and robust passion of Márquez's signature magical realism style and never fully engaging the viewer.

The considerable talents of a strong supporting cast, which includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Liev Schreiber and Andre Braugher, go untapped. The only distinguishing feature to this by-the-book thriller is Jolie, who gets pummeled as good as she pummels.

The huge contingent of girls -- and women with girlish fantasies -- who liked the first two movies will doubtless enjoy Eclipse. But this third go-round won't make Twihard converts of the rest of us.

It's all fast and furious up to its draggy finale, and yes, it could spark a sequel. Prepare yourself for coming dread in 18 months: "A Man Together."

Though better than its 2001 predecessor -- and teeming with cute creatures and fast and furious action scenes -- the movie feels excessively formulaic.

The movie tries to capture the crushing weight of loss, but between the insipid pop tunes and the repetitive shots cutting away to a lighthouse on a scenic outcropping, it feels more like a film version of a condolence card.

The whole journey feels like a rich girl gone slumming. And for those of us along for the ride, it's a bit of a slog.

This is a romantic comedy, not a sci-fi adventure tale. But the actions, choices and general behavior of the characters are oddly removed from what goes in the real world.

Lottery Ticket is no prize.

The dialogue is clichéd and laughable. It's a film far more concerned with style - architectural, vehicular and wardrobe-related - than substance.

As it is, this uneven movie is more a compilation of contemporary images and concerns peppered with derivative raucous scenarios, à la Judd Apatow movies, than an involving romantic comedy.

For a movie with a star wrestler at the center of it, Legendary doesn't pack much of a punch.

Just as its characters need a reason to live, Go needs a reason for audiences to watch. Neither find much satisfaction.

Slight and only sporadically amusing.

As the girl fights and rivalry play out, flashes of wit are obscured by the plot's contrivances.

Nothing is etched in anything remotely resembling a hard surface in Stone.

The uneven humor, half-baked plot and generic action scenes keep RED from being much fun.

Has such dull patches that as a Volvo races to the scene of a massive shootout, a distracting thought comes to mind: Can Volvos even go that fast?

It's serviceable, but certainly not much fun.

The film simply doesn't come together fluidly. Smaller parts aren't on par with the lead role, and special effects are overdone and cheesy. At times, the essence of Shakespeare's poetry is drowned out.

It bristles with exuberant numbers that strain beneath the weight of cliché.

This just in: Morning Glory can't decide whether to skewer the morning news or wallow in its pap.

Far-fetched is fine in most action flicks. And it would work here if Days were a straightforward police story.

The perfect vehicle for Johnson's charm and talents is still out there. It's certainly not in the muscle car he pilots in Faster.

Has some funny moments, silly mispronunciations and comical socio-political references. But it suffers from being the second animated movie this year to feature a dastardly villain for a hero.

How Do You Know must have started with a good idea that got lost in the translation from concept to screen.

For those in the audience, it's best to just sit back, drink in its virtual dazzle and not ask questions. The story is beside the point in this sleek-looking reboot. It's all about the whiz-bang special effects and the return of Jeff Bridges - always the coolest guy in any space, cyber or otherwise.

Yet another foray into unnecessary 3-D, is a rehashed mishmash of Jonathan Swift's 18th-century classic. Mostly, it's a vehicle for Jack Black's zany humor.