I Hate Valentine's Day

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: April 11, 2009 (Brazil) / July 3, 2009 (USA)

DVD Release Date: August 20, 2009 (Australia)

Plot 411: Genevieve thinks she has love and dating all figured out until one guy has her questioning her rules.

Review: Nia Vardalos and John Corbett runite in this rom com that unfortunately fails at pretty much everything. Vardalos plays Genevieve, a florist who is the picture of happiness. She lives her life with one simple rule: never getting into a relationship. Of course, she dates plenty and enjoys being romanced, but her maximum date limit is five. She also has strict rules about what happens at each stage. These rules help ensure the highest levels of enjoyment and least amount of pain for both parties. Corbett plays Greg, a new restaurant owner who has recently been dumped. He thinks Genevieve's rules are interesting and may be just the thing to help him get over his dating failures. I didn't think this movie came together particularly well, even though Vardalos and Corbett were great in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Somehow they were just awkward in this movie and often made weird facial expressions or sounds that weren't all that humorous. Even their supporting cast was weak.

Watch It: Because it's possibly a master class at how not to do a rom com.

Skip It: And re-watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding intead.

My Life In Ruins

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: May 28, 2009 (Greece) / June 5, 2009 (USA)

DVD Release Date: October 6, 2009

Plot 411: A disenchanted Greek tour guide contemplates her life's plan and whether her decision to move to Greece was right.

Review: Georgia (Nia Vardalos), an out-of-work university professor, is forced to make her living in Greece as a tour guide. Unhappy with how her life is going, she fights with herself over what she should do next. Her love for Greek history and culture makes being a guide unfulfilling because most of her tours consist of people (shockingly) who just want to have a good time on their vacation. When she meets Irv (Richard Dreyfuss) on one of her tours, he makes her realize what she's missing out of life. His wisdom opens her up to new experiences and she actually begins to enjoy herself. I enjoyed this film for what it was worth - a pretty simple romantic comedy set among the beautiful ruins of Greece. Vardalos is lovely and real, just as she was in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. However, this movie was in no way of the same caliber. I also found it quite cheesy that the moviemakers would use a gimmick like shedding layers of clothes to mirror a character's transformation (ie. letting loose, becoming less-tightly wound). Other than that, it was nice to see Greece's mainland highlighted in a film. Those darn Greek islands always steal the show (like in Mamma Mia! or The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants).

Watch It: If you're a woman going through some kind of mid-life crisis or are just a schmuck for rom-coms.

Skip It: In favor of something better made.