Madagascar

Another animated film suffering from Familiar Voice Syndrome. When will someone realize that when you get big names to voice-over these flicks, they're not creating characters--they're just doing their shtick? And, at this point, when we're well down the line of technical brilliance in computer animation, you've got to bring something more to the table than a nice look. This one has amusing moments, but a few laughs are not enough, and the overall story is weak. Mostly, this trip to the jungle is a very tame ride.

Zero Effect

Bill Pullman and Ben Stiller as a postmodern Holmes and Watson. Most of this movie flies below the radar; things get confused and unfocused when the narrative tries to take a drastic dramatic turn, but most of the movie sticks to providing a healthy dose of knowing smirks. Give it a chance and let it do its work.

The Royal Tenenbaums

It's an odd one; no doubt about that. But it plays its low-key humor very well, and occasionally achieves moments of outright hilarity. Give it time to do its work and you'll be rewarded.

Meet The Parents

Not as good as the hype made it, but still pretty damn funny.