Twentieth Century Fox

Review in a Hurry: A 12-part miniseries stuffed into a 2½ hour movie, this soap opera tells the story of Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman, pale English rose) and the Drover (Hugh Jackman) as they fall in love against the backdrop of World War II Australia. The beautiful locations and production values can't compensate for all the thin characters and lack of originality. In trying to cover so much ground, the movie ends up too broad to be anything but shallow.

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The Weinstein Company

Review in a Hurry: Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks star as friends facing eviction from their crappy apartment who decide to make a porno to pay their bills. While not exactly deep, writer-director Kevin Smith turns this strangely sentimental sex-for-money tale into his funniest movie in years.

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2007 Universal Studios

Review in a Hurry: A gut-churning true story—about a missing boy and a look-alike runaway forced on his mother by police—is rendered flat by Angelina Jolie's sedated performance and an unfocused script from J. Michael Straczynski.

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Lionsgate

Review in a Hurry: Director Oliver Stone has a no-win proposition with this CliffsNotes life story of our 43rd president. If he doesn't make Dubya look like John Wayne and Jesus combined, the right will go nuts. If he shows any sympathy for Bush, the left will go nuts. But whatever your political bent, we can all come together as Americans and agree on one thing: The movie just isn't very good.

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Universal Studios

Review in a Hurry: The Express tells the story of Ernie Davis (Rob Brown), the first black player to win the Heisman trophy. Mentored—sort of—by Coach Ben Schwartzwalder (Dennis Quaid), Davis breaks the boundaries of racism as well as records. But this picture covers too much, too fast, and what should be a moving, inspiring tale feels more like an ESPN highlight reel than an actual movie.

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James Bridges/Lionsgate

Review in a Hurry: Soldiers Cheever (Tim Robbins), T.K. (Michael Peña), and Colee (Rachel McAdams) are back from Iraq and stuck together in a minivan when their flights home are canceled. Then a series of increasingly improbable circumstances forces them on a meandering road trip strangely absent any moral or point.

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Chuck Zlotnick / Sony Pictures

Review in a Hurry: Samuel L. Jackson stars as Abel Turner, a veteran LAPD officer driven over the edge by the interracial marriage of his new neighbors, Chris (Patrick Wilson) and Lisa (Kerry Washington). Director Neil LaBute struggles mightily to turn a reliable B-movie premise (maniac cop goes too far) into a deep social commentary about race, or real estate, or something, but the result is an inexplicable mess.

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Overture Films

Review in a Hurry: Robert De Niro and Al Pacino play veteran cops on the trail of a serial killer. It sounds familiar, sure, but the script from Inside Man writer Russell Gewirtz puts a few twists into the mix. And De Niro and Pacino hit every step so perfectly, they make even the standard cop-movie moments shine.

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MGM

Review in a Hurry: Ice Cube plays Curtis Plummer, a former high school football star who discovers his niece (Keke Palmer) has talent for the game. Based on the real-life of Jasmine Plummer, this story ought to have all the heart and drama needed, but the onscreen version is too sloppy to even get the clichés right.

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Universal Pictures

Review in a Hurry: Jason Statham—a man so virile he makes male-pattern baldness look tough—plays Jensen Ames, a convict forced to compete in an ultraviolent version of NASCAR, complete with machine guns and other James Bond-esque gadgets under the hood. This remake of Roger Corman's camp classic spackles enough blood and burnt rubber into the gaping plot holes it's easy to ignore them until the ride home.

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Lucasfilm

Review in a Hurry: This animated feature shows Obi-Wan Kenobi and a not-yet-evil Anakin Skywalker out to rescue the son of Jabba the Hutt. Die-hard Star Wars fans (are there any other kind?) will probably like it, but the violence is too much for little kids, and grown-ups are going to be bored.

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