All the New Movies That I Have Seen

1. Waitress (2007).

Actress/director Adrienne Shelly's last movie. Interesting if uneven. Worth seeing even if it seems to be attracting a larger female audience than most movies. (I wasn't the only male at the afternoon matinee I attended, but I was definitely outnumbered by female movie-goers.)

2. Hot Fuzz (2007).

The Shaun of the Dead crew spoof police action thrillers. And do a remarkably good job of it. Yet more proof -- apart from Flushed Away -- that we Americans might have to start outsourcing our comic films to Great Britain.

3. Spider Man 3 (2007).

The last -- and least -- of the Spiderman trilogy. Sam Raimi has done better work. Still better than most films out there but not quite as magical as the first two films in the series.

4. Music and Lyrics (2007).

Hugh Grant plays yet another dysfunctional personality with connections to the music industry. Not quite About a Boy Two -- mainly because it's nowhere near that good -- but watchable. The 1980s video parody in the opening sequence is the best part of the movie, so if you wish to leave after the first ten minutes, you probably won't miss much.