GREENBERG: NOT MUCH TO SAY ON THIS ONE

Ivan Schrank: Youth is wasted on the young.
Roger: I'd go further. I'd go: 'Life is wasted on people.'

I really looked forward to the release of this film as I missed it in theaters. I love Ben Stiller as an actor (as opposed to a plumber, no I mean as opposed to his comedic roles, which I also enjoy). This role, however, just didn't do it for me. Roger Greenberg (Stiller) is going through a 40-something midlife crisis, but he's doing it more reflectively than should be filmed. There was little to no plot, a slow pace and aside from the writing and the acceptable performances, there was nothing. I like to either be entertained or moved or enlightened or excited (wink wink) but I got nothing from this film. It wasn't a bad film. It was just so subtle that I didn't notice it playing in my DVD player. It's okay to pass on this one.

MEET BILL

MEET BILL... MEET BILL'S BALLS... GO BILL, GO!

Meet Bill is a different kind of movie. There have been similar films; American Beauty, Weatherman to name a few, but to compare Aaron Eckhart in the smarmy roles we have seen to date (Company of Men, Thank You For Smoking, The Dark Knight) to Bill, a dull, boring loser is refreshing, surprising and realistic. He gets paired up with a con-man/rebellious teen only known to us as 'The Kid' (Logan Lerman) and that pair generate enough energy to fuel the whole movie. The one nice thing that makes this movie OUTstanding is the other pairing of two guys, Bill's brother and his partner. It is a rarity and a treat to see gay characters treated as real people, not stereotypes. This movie is quite 'grass-roots'; nothing typical nor expected but also not too shocking or out of left field. In the end, it is the end of our show and the start of the character's different paths. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It has a quirky feel, compared with HBO's Six Feet Under. AND, this is the first movie where I almost liked Jessica Alba.

PICK: Very human characters and a fun look at ourselves; fun role for Aaron Eckhart.