Dumb and Dumber To

I went in wanting to hate this movie. It seems like such a no-brainer--pun intended--target for the reviewer's venom: a sequel to a movie that didn't need a second act, and a lengthily delayed sequel at that. Plus at least one of its stars, Jim Carrey, seems to be well past his expiration date. And yet...I have to admit, there are enough chuckles and outright belly-laughs in this flick to justify its existence. It's not a classic by any stretch of the imagination, but for killing an otherwise empty two hours while watching it on cable? Sure, go for it.

Kick-Ass 2

Lighten up, Jim. Yes, this is an extremely violent movie, but given the story it tells it could hardly be otherwise. In fact, I'll take this in your face violence over the sanitized, inconsequential violence we've been fed in so many Stallone or Schwarzenegger movies. The real problem here is not the graphic nature of the action, but the lack of freshness in the overall work. Such shortcomings are inevitable, perhaps, in a sequel like this, when the original was so fresh and...yes...original. What pulls this one through is the characters; we like and believe in Kick-Ass and Hit Girl, and want them to come out on top, whatever fight they're in. Just relax and let this one be what it is, and you'll have some fun watching it.

Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind

More mind-bending fun from the word processor of writer Charlie Kaufman. This one is not as heavy on the goofy humor as, say, Being John Malkovich; Eternal Sunshine is moodier, more contemplative, more interested in delving into the feelings of the leads (expertly played by Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet). You laugh, but you get to experience other emotions as well. If you enjoyed Kaufman's other trips inside various heads, you'll like this one too.

Man on the Moon

Andy Kaufman's career in all of its shining, tarnished, and shining glory. Jim Carrey's performance is dead on, and the classic bits are still howlingly funny. It may be another twenty years before someone pushes the envelope like Kaufman did; in the meantime, we have this to serve as a very good reminder of where the goal should be set.

The Majestic

There are deep wells of pain beneath this seemingly genial movie. Not just in its presentation of America's history of betraying its principles, nor the recognition of the cost in sorrow that war can wreak on those who survive, but also in the simple nostalgia (in the word's truest sense: an ache for home and the past) over how different we are from the nation that once was. This is a tough call; not everyone will respond to its vision and presentation, but I think those who do will find it worthwhile.