Based on the book by Mary Rodgers, Freaky Friday stars Jamie Lee Curtis as uptight psychologist Tess Coleman and Lindsay Lohan as her punk-rockin' daughter Anna. The two don't seem to get along at all, fighting constantly, much to the chagrin of Tess' soon-to-be husband, Ryan (Mark Harmon). But after an old Chinese woman (Lucille Soong) puts a spell on the two via fortune cookies, Tess and Anna find themselves trapped in each other's bodies. Hijinks and confusion abound, as the two try to adapt to their new lives. There's something incredibly refreshing about a movie like Freaky Friday, as its wholesomeness and good-natured vibe is something that's been lacking from most recent big-screen fare. The performances, for example, are just about perfectly suited for this sort of material; Curtis is very effective as both the straight-laced Tess and the free-spirited Anna. No stranger to comedy, Curtis brings a lot of humor to the role(s) without going over the top (which must have been a temptation). Likewise, Lohan does a nice job of keeping Anna likeable, even in her I-hate-everybody early scenes. And Mark Harmon proves to be incredibly charismatic and engaging, and despite his limited screen time, he's able to turn Ryan into a far more interesting character than we should've had any right to expect. This being a Disney movie, it should come as no surprise that there's a good amount of sentiment present - especially towards the end. Screenwriters Heather Hach and Leslie Dixon effectively ensure the movie never becomes overwhelmingly syrupy, with the more mawkish elements seamlessly integrated into the story. But mostly, Freaky Friday is just an exceedingly entertaining film that the whole family can enjoy (unlike the recent Spy Kids 3-D, which only holds appeal for small children). Aside from a brief stretch towards the end of the second act that drags a little, the film's pace is quick and brisk. It's virtually impossible to watch the movie without smiling throughout, and for that alone, Freaky Friday is worth a look.

As superficial and melodramatic as one might've expected, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past stars Matthew McConaughey as Connor Mead - a high-powered fashion photographer who has long-since established a reputation for himself as an unapologetic ladykiller. His skirt-chasing ways are threatened after he's provided an up-close-and-personal look at the meaningless nature of his existence by three ghosts, which inevitably forces him to reconsider his relationship with longtime friend Jenny Perotti (Jennifer Garner). Ghosts of Girlfriends Past has been infused with precisely the sort of predictable and downright familiar sensibilities that one has come to associate with most modern romantic comedies, and it's certainly not surprising to note that McConaughey's mere presence ultimately winds up exacerbating the film's various problems - as the actor delivers a variation on the smarmy work that he offers up at least twice a year in other films of this ilk. It's clear that McConaughey actually fares more poorly than he usually does, however, as he's inexplicably playing even the most low-key of moments at a level of energy that seems incongruous to the material (although, to be fair, the actor does a nice job with a heartfelt third-act speech). And while the supporting cast has been peppered with a number of familiar faces - including Breckin Meyer, Lacey Chabert, and Robert Forster - Michael Douglas' turn as Connor's sleazy uncle inevitably establishes itself as a highlight within the proceedings (which, given a proliferation of lines like "dames, they're like horses - they spook easy," certainly doesn't come as much of a surprise). The end result is an almost aggressively mediocre romcom that's unlikely to hold much appeal for most viewers, and it's impossible not to wonder just how many more of these things McConaughey has in him (ie it's becoming increasingly difficult to remember that the guy once possessed a whole lot of promise).