my rating: Triple score multiplier for Diddy.

what possessed me: Piopi was trying to convince me to see Grown Ups and I hastily concocted an alternate plan.

what i learned: You know, Forgetting Sarah Marshall was pretty funny. A healthy smattering of said ha-has can be attributed to Russell Brand, and to a lesser but still potent extent Jonah Hill. That was unintentionally filthy. At any rate, this re-teaming doesn’t disappoint. It does wander into unexpected and unusual territory in the last section, but hangs on to the funny. But who knew Sean Combs was going to be the shiniest star at the sparklefest? Until I saw this movie, I hadn’t forgiven him for discovering Mase. But we cool now. We cool.

you may also enjoy: Forgetting Sarah Marshall, I Love You, Man and all the other good ones.

tangential thought: If I were an unruly rock star, I would simply demand dumplings in my dressing room at every venue. It is this lack of charismatic quirkiness that prevents me from being a rock star. And a complete and all-inclusive lack of musical prowess.

my rating: Three cheers for catchphrases. Out of six. Six catchphrases or cheers? Yes.

what possessed me: The Cracka and I have subtly shifted our affection for Bradley Cooper from offhand joke to a symptom of serious mental illness.

what i learned: I have little recollection of the show, if I’m being totally honest. I remember that it was like MacGyver with a black van, a guy from Battlestar Galactica, crass attitudes and guns. More likely than not, I was too righteous for it. Or afraid. Or both. But I’m all grown up and teeming with carefully cultured hate cells now. So I’m happy to report that the movie is a physics-blaspheming success. It’s also a study in inconsequential and caricaturishly generic supporting characters. The girl! The bad guy! The other bad guy! A third bad guy! And while I am aware that sounds like jagged gouge in the minus column, but I defy you to see the movie and care.

you may also enjoy: The A-Team (maybe?), S.W.A.T., The Big Hit, Ocean’s Eleven, and when a ridiculous plans come together.

tangential thought: I love my sister so much that when we decided our roles in our own A-Team and she called Murdock, I didn’t even put up a fight and quietly accepted Face. But we both know I’m still the wild card.

my rating: Ninety-six pounds of moxie on eight wheels.

what possessed me: On the plane to Hong Kong, I was choosing between this and New Moon, and decided that I’d prefer to see those few brief moments of Dakota on a screen larger than a headrest.

what i learned: I think I would have totally loved this movie if they had sent the script to the doctor for a couple extra doses of funny. Or maybe if they just let Kristen Wiig, Eve and Zoe Bell do their respective things a bit more. Still, it’s a good time, albeit a little too safe and by-the-numbers for Gertie‘s directorial debut.

you may also enjoy: Stick It, Bring It On, Battle Athletes and youthful indiscretion.

tangential thought: I think Ellen Page picked this movie over Drag Me To Hell, which seems to me like a questionable call.

my rating: One giant face.

what possessed me: When QT makes a movie, I see it regardless of subject matter, weather conditions, dankness of viewing spaces and level of Eli Roth‘s hamminess. This is the first time it took me half a year to see one of his movies a second time.

what i learned: While he’s added cranking the suspense up to eleven, weaving another definitive revenge tale, having the most impressively horrifying screen villain since Unicron and re-writing history to his repertoire, nothing beats an old-fashioned Tarantino-style Mexican stand-off. My jealousy and appreciation of his ability to seamlessly blend genres and styles without ending up with disjointed, steaming poo stands unabated.

you may also enjoy: Pulp Fiction, Grindhouse, Kill Bill, Doomsday and exceeded expectations.

tangential thought: Is it just me or do half the guys in this movie look like Ewan McGregor?

my rating: Complete full-scale holiday ornamental destruction.

what possessed me: The Cracka was unflinching in her resolve to watch this movie again, so we rented it despite the fact that, knowing her love for the film, I’d already gifted a copy to her years prior.

what i learned: Thankfully, Ryan Reynolds is no Eddie Murphy. No, no. Put that wacky whiteboy in a fat suit, and you have comedic gold. Then again, take him out of the fat suit, and you still have comedic gold. The suit is not made of gold. Just fat. Anyway, I’m prepared to say this movie has the greatest credit sequence in the history of cinema. Also, Anna Faris is more than a little bit awesome. However, things are a little iffy once a viewing experience leads you down the road to giving Van Wilder another try and/or checking out The House Bunny.

you may also enjoy: Another notable under-everyone’s-radar comedy, Overnight Delivery. And Blade: Trinity if you want to know how desperate Reynolds is to prove he’s not really fat.

tangential thought: If Canadians had any sense at all, they’d made Ryan Reynolds the king of their realm. Luckily, they have no sense at all.

my rating: Two great tastes that taste great together.

what possessed me: I was wondering when a movie was going to be made that brought together my two top priorities in this world; Basketball and flight attendants.

what i learned: With a lot of heart and the support of the right people who might seem stand-offish at first, you can succeed in what appear to be two completely unrelated things. But maybe only if you’re cute, determined and full of moxie. So not really applicable to me.

you may also enjoy: Attention Please, Attack No. 1, Slam Dunk, The Mighty Ducks and getting by with a little help from your friends.

tangential thought: There must be a dearth of actors in Japan, because without knowing it, I stumbled upon this movie featuring some of my old favorites in significant roles, including that insanely cool woman from Liar Game, the awesomely mean lady from Densha Otoko, and the mysterious, icy girl from a whole bunch of stuff. The movie also solves a mystery for me, as it stars the previously unidentified fourth lass known only as “eyebrows” from my favorite old Pocky commercial: