Confessions of a Shopaholic
Perhaps we shouldn't expect anything from a movie about a shopaholic, but this comedy's ditzy heroine and silly story can't even compare to other notable films in the romcom genre. In her review, Jette Kernion said: "Confessions of a Shopaholic tries to have it all ... Unfortunately, it's never as good as the movies it tries to imitate." Skip it. Also on Blu-ray.

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Inkheart
Yet another film in Brendan Fraser's ever-growing collection of familial adventure. (Will he ever leave it behind and return to his dramatic roots?) Nick Schager describes the film as "a scattered collection of ideas, most of them cavalierly mixed together and barely fleshed out." Skip it. Also on Blu-ray.

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The Pink Panther 2
It might not seem possible, but as Eric D. Snider wrote in his review of the Steve Martin-starring sequel: "Despite being a sequel that is completely unnecessary, The Pink Panther 2 is actually better than its predecessor," and "It has several funny sequences and a general tone of good-natured frivolity." When fluffy fun is on the agenda, Rent it. Also on Blu-ray.

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Phoebe in Wonderland
Tim Burton's spin on Alice in Wonderland is quickly coming our way. But for now, there's the Elle Fanning-starring tale of a girl trying to find her place in real life. Kim Voynar said: "there are so many rich layers to explore in this carefully crafted story; it's rather like a kaleidoscope, in that what you see and get out of it shifts and changes depending on which character's perspective you're looking at, and what ideas you bring to watching it." Rent it.

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Also out: The Code, Bob Funk, Dragon Hunters, Table for Three, Mr. Troop Mom, Simon Says, Legend of the Bog, Backwoods, He's On My Mind, War Wolves

Gran Torino
In his last acting stint, Clint Eastwood dances behind and in front of the camera playing a racist Korean War vet who faces his prejudices after a Hmong teen tries to steal his beloved Gran Torino. James Rocchi said: "Gran Torino is, bluntly, a pretty good film -- sleek and brawny like the title car, but a little clumsy on the corners and with no small amount of knock in its dramatic engine." Rent it on DVD or Blu-ray.

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The International
When you mix Run Lola Run helmer Tom Tykwer and Clive Owen, you get The International -- an action thriller where Owen plays an Interpol agent itching to battle corruption in the world's largest banks. In his review, William Goss said: "Throughout, The International is a thankfully, skillfully mature effort by Tykwer to produce a proper thriller for adults, that of a man on a mission, and one lent little extra resonance in our cash-strapped times." Buy it on DVD or Blu-ray.

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Crossing Over
Not all Harrison Ford films get slapped on the big screen with a bang. There's the multi-story immigration drama Crossing Over. But it's not exactly a little-known gem, according to Jeffrey M. Anderson: "Crossing Over is a bad movie ... about as airless and preachy as movies come." Skip it.

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Also Out: Fired Up, Nobel Son, Strike, Guns

Killshot
Sometimes a film comes with big names and notable filmmakers, but just can't get more than a barely-there release on the big screen. This is one of those films. An adaptation of the Elmore Leonard novel about a couple embroiled in a mess with some sketchy types, this puppy comes from Shakespeare in Love director John Madden, and stars the likes of Diane Lane, Mickey Rourke, Thomas Jane, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Johnny Knoxville, and Rosario Dawson. EFilmCritic calls it "messy and unfocused." Skip it.

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Powder Blue
Now Jessica Biel might be lamenting her beauty and how that affects her career, but not so long ago she was taking it off for her work. This is that Christmas drama with the stripper (Biel), an ex-priest, an ex-con, and a mortician. It is, however, also (slightly) notable for being the film where Patrick Swayze plays the gentleman's club head "Velvet Larry." Skip it.

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New in Town
There's not much to perk up the last two "Skip It" picks, just another Renee Zellweger romcom -- this time, with Harry Connick Jr. She's an executive who winds up in a small town and discovers the charms of rural life. William Goss said it didn't have "even one iota of charm or humor," so Skip it on DVD and Blu-ray.

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Taken
Another action fest from District 13's Pierre Morel, this time Liam Neeson gets to rescue his daughter from slave traders. These glowing words from Eric D. Snider say it all: "it is welcome as a delightfully dizzying balm to soothe the pain inflicted by recent action films that have failed to deliver. It subscribes to the less-talk-more-rock school of thought, intentionally free of nuance but overbrimming with relentless, efficient, energetic mayhem. It plays out like a season of 24, crammed into 90 minutes." Buy it. Also on Blu-ray.

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Passengers
Anne Hathaway has been making waves with her critical successes (Rachel Getting Married), and migraine-inducing romcoms (Bride Wars). But in the midst of all this, Passengers came and went without much more than a glance. A "conspiratorial supernatural thriller," Hathaway plays a grief counselor facing foul play when crash survivors begin to disappear. Skip it. Also on Blu-ray.

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S. Darko
It's such an unnecessary sequel, is there any more to be said? Even if it contains Daveigh Chase? The one surprise -- Elizabeth Berkley as a religious fanatic. Skip it, but I shouldn't need to tell you that.

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Also out: The Grudge 3

Bride Wars
One minute, she's struggling with addiction and family drama in the winning Rachel Got Married. The next, Anne Hathaway was skyrocketing to the dredge, terrible marriage stereotyping, and wedding wars with Kate Hudson. Jeffrey M. Anderson said there's one worthy minute in the film, but the "rest of the time, for 88 out of its 89 minutes, it's a movie totally devoid of life." Also on Blu-ray. Skip it.

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The Uninvited
One would think that a film with David Strathairn and Elizabeth Banks would be worth a moment or two, especially since they're not running to the horror/thriller genre every day, but as Jette Kernion said in her review in February: the story is weak, Banks' lines are "stilted and almost laughable," and Strathairn's performance "made me want to go home and put on one of his better movies to forget about his nearly wooden character in this one." That's enough reason to Skip it. Also on Blu-ray.

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Martyrs
Movies that make Saw look like Sesame Street aren't the type I usually have in my queue, so I'll leave this entirely up to Scott Weinberg: "It may be one of the most ferocious horror films ever made -- but Martyrs is also quite effectively chilling and consistently disturbing ... frankly I think it's one of the most fascinating pieces of 'hardcore' horror cinema you'd ever want to see." Buy it ... if you have the guts.

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Nothing But the Truth
Another political drama in Rod Lurie's stable, Truth boasts the likes of Kate Beckinsale, Alan Alda, Vera Farmiga, Matt Dillon, taking the Valerie Plame case and morphing into an amped up drama with intrique based around missile strikes on Venezuela. Eric Snider said from TIFF: "Still, for all its strengths, Nothing But the Truth falls under the umbrella of good but not great." Rent it.

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Also out: Frost/Nixon: Complete Interviews, What Doesn't Kill You (also on Blu-ray), While She Was Out

It's a slow, post-Easter release week...

The Reader
Older woman meets much younger man. They have an affair, years go by, and then they meet again when she's brought to court with Nazi war crime charges. The film earned Kate Winslet an Academy Award for her performance while also grabbing four other nominations. But is The Reader worth it? In her review, Jette said that the "structure of The Reader is rambling and hard to follow," but "like many end-of-year films, the performances are what makes the film most worth watching." Rent it.

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The Spirit
It whipped up enough buzz, but unfortunately, the eager excitement just wasn't there -- both before and after release. As Scott said: "The Spirit is simply an empty vessel. It's a bunch of cool-looking visuals that should be looking for a half-decent plot, but are just too damn happy being cool-looking visuals." Need you hear more unhappiness? Skip it. Also on Blu-ray.

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Also out: Bled, Splinter, Irreconcilable Differences, Decameron '69, Hiding Out

Slumdog Millionaire
It was a complete Academy Awards smash, winning almost all of its nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. Kim Voynar's review stated: "Boyle, stepping outside the UK to focus his lens on India, seems to have freed himself here to bring his brilliance as a director to its fullest fruition." Really, the praise and awards speak volumes, making the film a definite Buy it. Also, the film absolutely sparkles and shines on Blu-ray, with the vibrant colors of India popping and sizzling like you've never seen before. Seriously, put this one on your must-see list, like, yesterday. (For more, read our interview with Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle.)

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Marley & Me
A heart-warming Christmas feel-good flick -- Marley & Me tells the story of a couple who get a rambunctious dog who might be a handful, but who also becomes a beloved member of the family. It's full of puppy love and all the things you'd expect when following the life of a lovable canine. For the tear-jerker film fiends, this film will be a must, but for the rest, you might want to just Rent it. Also on Blu-ray.

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Seven Pounds
It was beginning to seem like Will Smith was untouchable -- the Hollywood actor whose name would always mean successful blockbuster. At the very least, one would've thought Seven Pounds would be successful, but instead it came and went with little fanfare, and some disappointment. Nick Shager said the film was "misguided mush from the moment go, a deliberately muddled bit of inspirational pap that masks its inherent silliness with structural obliqueness and, worse still, affords Smith scant opportunities to infuse his character with authentic humanity." Skip it. Also on Blu-ray.

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Also out: Ogre, Timecrimes, The Real Ghostbusters, Vol. 1

This week, there's also a bunch of AfterDark Horrorfest releases for you blood and gore fans out there: Autopsy, The Broken, The Butterfly Effect 3, Dying Breed, From Within, AfterDark Horrorfest Vol. 3, Perkins 14, Slaughter, Voices

I guess the powers that bring us DVDs wanted to let us focus on green foods and drinking, rather than movie watching, because the pickings are quite sparse the week.

Punisher: War Zone
If you're a fan of Punisher, you don't need me to tell you to go out and buy it. However, if you're hemming and hawing, or have no clue who this angry guy is, you might want to check out Eric D. Snider's review, which said: "It's War Zone's laughable desire to be taken seriously that makes it enjoyable to watch but a failure at what it was trying to do." Also on Blu-ray. Rent it.

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Twilight
Hold your horses -- this isn't out quite yet -- the vamp romance is scheduled to hit shelves on the 21st. Nevertheless, the first installment of Bella and Edward's bloody love is almost here, which will undoubtedly start an onslaught of DVDs. This, then one when #2 comes out, then the pair, then #3. But hey, the more the merrier for the fans. Snider called it "a somber teen romance that happens to have some vampires in it," while Peter Martin said: "Twilight may not add up to much more than the sum of its parts, but those parts can be mighty entertaining." Also on Blu-ray. Rent it, unless you know a Meyer fiend out there.

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Also out: Return of the Outlaws, The Triangle, Velveteen Rabbit, Walled In

Australia
This felt like it would be one of those epic films that came, saw, and conquered. In the past, Baz Luhrman has made some impressive shows, from star-crossed lovers to sexy dancing and pop tunes, but Australia never knew what it wanted to be, and suffered for it. As JMA wrote in his review: "It's too bad that he had to waste the all-encompassing title Australia on such a mixed mess." Skip it on DVD and Blu-ray.

Add to Netflix queue | Buy at Amazon | Read Jeffrey M. Anderson's Review

Beverly Hills Chihuahua
Where one like Australia fizzled, Beverly Hills Chihuahua shocked even Eric D. Snider: "[it] isn't the braying, garish nightmare that the trailers make it out to be, or that we've come to expect from Disney's live-action-excrement factory." Rent it on DVD and Blu-ray.

Add to Netflix queue | Buy at Amazon | Read Eric D. Snider's Review

Ace Ventura Jr: Pet Detective
I can only hope that this film isn't the first in a long line of comedic offspring: Zoolander: Mini Male Models, Step Brothers: When Kids are Kids. Unsurprisingly, Cinematical never reviewed this gem of a film, but you can read through our news about it here. Skip it.

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Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic
Right in time for the long-awaited release of Watchmen, we're getting the complete motion comic. Now this isn't an entirely animated film, but rather the comic amped up with some movement and a voiceover. DVD Talk says: "these motion comics offer up a unique presentation of the material that is just about as faithful as anything short of a reprint could be, while still offering something new." But there are faults, like Tom Stechschulte voicing ALL of the characters, even the women, but it still looks worthwhile. Rent it on DVD and Blu-ray.

Buy at Amazon

Choke
Even with the cult-led power of Fight Club, it took a long time for another Chuck Palahniuk adaptation to make it to the big screen. Finally, we were served Clark Gregg's Choke, a film that certainly relished its source material, but didn't inspire the rabid love of its predecessor. Still, it's a fun look into the life of a sex addict who fake-chokes in restaurants for money. Rent it.

Add to Netflix queue | Buy at Amazon | Read Erik's Review

Body of Lies
Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe get to face off in this political thriller filled with CIA intrigue and infiltration. Leo's the out-in-the-field op uncovering word of a new terrorist leader, while Crowe guides via satellite -- but is that guidance helping or hurting the situation? Rent it on DVD or Blu-ray.

Add to Netflix queue | Buy at Amazon | Read James' Review

Changeling
True stories made for successful cinema in this Clint Eastwood-helmed film about a woman (Angelina Jolie) in 1920s LA who's trying to find her abducted son. She gets a son, alright, but it's not her own, which triggers her own search for the ugly truth. As Kim Voynar said, Jolie "excels in a powerful performance." Buy it on DVD or Blu-ray.

Add to Netflix queue | Buy at Amazon | Read Kim's Review

How to Lose Friends and Alienate People
Simon Pegg has made an amazing comedic name for himself over the last handful of years, fighting zombies and enforcing the law in a small and crazy town. But in comedies not created and whipped up by Pegg himself, they fall flat. Even if he is alienating the likes of Kirsten Dunst, Danny Huston, Jeff Bridges, Gillian Anderson, and Megan Fox ... we say Skip it.

Add to Netflix queue | Buy at Amazon | Read Jeff's Review

Also out: Midnight Meat Train, High School Musical 3: Senior Year, Flash of Genius, Quarantine, Alien Raiders, Feast 3: The Happy Finish, Moving Midway, Screamers: The Hunting, Still Waiting