Love Kills Laughs in Invention of Lying

(NEWSER) - A spirited performance from Ricky Gervais banishes the spectre of mediocrity from supernatural romantic comedy Ghost Town, critics say. The story of a dentist who starts seeing dead people is a touch generic, Bill Goodykoontz writes in the Arizona Republic, but Gervais—the UK creator of the original Office—shines through "with a sense of humor that makes him immensely likable." More»

Subprime rom-com maxes out the clichés

(NEWSER) - Chick-lit flick Confessions of a Shopaholic is one victim the credit crisis should have claimed, say critics. Isla Fisher stars as a credit card addict who lands a job at a financial magazine, but her considerable comic gifts are wasted by a script that turns her into a "babbling ninny," Moira Macdonald writes in the Seattle Times. More»

Movie about divorced dad rises above usual cliches

(NEWSER) - Definitely, Maybe, the story of a soon-to-be-divorced dad whose 11-year-old daughter wants to hear how he met her mother, is definitely a cut above most romantic comedies, critics say. "It's a lot fresher and a bit more sophisticated than the ordinary run of maudlin chick flicks," writes Ken Fox of TV Guide. More»

Formulaic script and direction make this comedy forgettable

(NEWSER) - Despite actress Katherine Heigl's undeniable appeal, her first role as a leading lady is in a film of such little consequence "that seeing it and skipping it are the exact same thing," writes Robert Wilonsky of the Village Voice. In 27 Dresses, Heigl plays Jane, a perennial bridesmaid who's got a major crush on her boss (Ed Burns), who, unfortunately, falls for Jane's blonde-bombshell sister (Malin Akerman). More»

Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones return for alien flick

(NEWSER) - Sure, no one was that desperate for a Men in Black 3—but it's actually a pretty good summer movie. Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are back defending the planet from aliens, and this time, Josh Brolin's along for the ride as a young Jones.

• The movie "turns out to be so much fun," writes AO Scott in the New York Times . While it "carefully fulfills its blockbuster imperatives—with chases and explosions and elaborately contrived plot twists—it swerves into some marvelously silly, unexpectedly witty, and genuinely fresh territory."