Contagion Sickeningly Good

Matt Damon, Emily Blunt star in sci-fi romance

(NEWSER) - The Adjustment Bureau, a sci-fi romance starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, tells the story of a political hotshot who meets a woman in the men's room—something that was not part of his destiny. Two "adjusters" explain he must not see her again—leaving the two, in love, racing to outrun or outwit them. Critics are largely positive:

• In the New York Times , Manohla Dargis calls the movie “a fast, sure film about finding and keeping love across time and space.” First-time director George Nolfi “has brightened the season with a witty mix of science-fiction metaphysics and old-fashioned fluttery romance.”

Remake features a star turn by 13-year-old Hailee Steinfeld

(NEWSER) - True Grit, the Coen brothers’ latest, updates a John Wayne classic—though it may stick closer to the original novel than the first film. Critics are impressed, with the Rotten Tomatoes score currently at 95%:

• In the New York Times , Manohla Dargis applauds the film’s 13-year-old star, Hailee Steinfeld, who gives a “memorably ferocious performance” as a “character whose single-minded pursuit of vengeance has unmistakable resonance.”

Gory sci-fi thriller predictable, stupid

(NEWSER) - Repo Men, a sci-fi thriller about men who repossess organs, is probably supposed to be biting commentary on divisive issues like health care, but critics are united in shouting it down:

• “Let the 2010 Razzies race begin!” declares Michael Rechtshaffen of The Hollywood Reporter . “Blood soaked, derivative and increasingly ridiculous,” Repo Men is an “in-your-face mess that never knows what it wants to be when it grows up” and telegraphs its plot twists “a century in advance."

But if you like the style and the stars, then just eat the ice cream

(NEWSER) - Critics agree: Nine is no 8½. Some enjoy a star-studded song-and-dance, but most don't like the song part, and they find the stars misused at best. Some opinions:

• "Step right up, pay $10, and you can see eight superstars, six of whom have won Oscars, singing songs in sparkly costumes." If that sounds good, cautions Dana Stevens of Slate , know that "the songs range from mediocre to actively unlistenable and that few of these actors know how to put over a song."

Disappointing debuts for The Informant! , Love Happens , Jennifer's Body

(NEWSER) - Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs satisfied hungry audiences this weekend, slurping down $30.1 million at the box office, Variety reports. Steven Soderbergh dramedy The Informant! debuted in a distant second with $10.5 million, just ahead of Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself ($10.1 million). Jennifer Aniston’s Love Happens ($8.5 million) and Megan Fox’s Jennifer’s Body ($6.8 million) opened to disappointing numbers at fourth and fifth, respectively. More»