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Grade: B

Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang – Opens TBA 2010

I hate to crap on anything involving Emma Thompson. She's a delight on screen – and the same likely holds true in person. A Nanny McPhee sequel, however, is something I just can't support, even though A) the first one did well with critics, B) it's based on a series of books and C) Thompson herself is in charge of adapting the screenplay.

Maybe it'd be fair on my end to actually go out and see a Nanny McPhee movie to better understand the appeal. (Thompson neglected to reprise her role as Professor Sybill Trelawney in the final Harry Potter movies because Nanny McPhee was apparently more important to her). But, until that happens, I'll continue to question what there is to like about Emma parading around in a faux nanny get-up about 1000x uglier than Mrs. Doubtfire.

In the sequel, the second movie in a planned trilogy, Nanny McPhee gets work from a hopeless family who can't figure out a way to make their farm children and city kids evacuated to the country during wartime get along with each other.
Grade: D+

The Bounty Hunter – Opens March 19th

The Bounty Hunter is a great example of an instance when Hollywood gets it wrong. Sometimes, a concept is created – say, God is in need of a vacation and calls upon a down-on-his-luck TV news field reporter to take the reins – and success is deservedly had. (Of course, there are far better examples than a silly Jim Carey movie, but you get the point). But more often than not, a concept is created that is not just silly, but downright stupid. That category, my friends, is filled with movies like The Bounty Hunter. In my opinion, you'd be a fool to go see this thing.

In the movie, Gerard Butler plays the former lover of Jennifer Aniston's character and is, as the title suggests, a bounty hunter. Opportunity knocks when he's handed the job of tracking down his bail-jumping ex. Things get complicated when Jennifer informs Gerard that, if jailed, she'll risk losing a possible lead on a murder cover-up.

Andy Tennant, who previously directed popular titles Sweet Home Alabama and Hitch before hitting a significant rough patch with Fool's Gold, continues his downward slide with this new release. Pegged as an action comedy, The Bounty Hunter is seriously lacking in the latter genre.

Grade: F

She's Out of My League – Opens March 12th

So two "comedy" items this week in Trailer Hitch are what I'd consider epic fails. I wouldn't be so rude as to make that three, would I? Well, kinda sort of no. (Kinda). At times She's Out of My League looks like it works. At other times I simply shake my head. The comedy in this thing is troubled, but for reasons unknown I'm pulling for this movie – which was finished way back in 2008 – to do well.

A lot of that has to do with its lead, Jay Baruchel, who's poised to have a big 2010 with The Sorcerer's Apprentice and his voice work in How to Train Your Dragon. I like the guy; he's grown on me since having smaller roles in Million Dollar Baby (he's the dude that gets beat up) and Knocked Up. He's a hardworking lad who, in my opinion, deserves a vehicle. Too bad it came in the form of
She's Out of My League, which is spotty in its comedy delivery.

In it, Baruchel plays a 5 to Alice Eve's 10. That is, his character is a lot geekier than Alice's, a blonde who is strangely attracted to him and wants to date him. Playing off the he-is-a-whole-lot-uglier-than-me idea we previously saw in Knocked Up, Jay's initial excitement peaks as his friends and family – and his own insecurities – threaten to sabotage his budding romance.

Grade: C-

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