Never Been Kissed (1999)

Never Been Kissed is a sweetly, intelligent throwback that never fails to work my tear ducts overtime. Drew Barrymore is adorable as the undercover reporter reliving her high school past; Molly Shannon, David Arquette, Gary Marshall, Octavia Spencer, John C. Reilly, Leelee Sobeiski, and Michael Vartan support admirably. The script recycles plot points from Carrie in a comedic way but they are integrated originally and the film is so effervescently made you can only be charmed.

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He's Just Not That Into You (2009)

Ginifer Godwin (so good in Big Love) is so annoying and the denouement of her story line with Justin Long so unbelievable that everything that might be good about He's Just Not That Into You pales in comparison. Jennifer Aniston and Ben Affleck are fine, Scarlett Johanssen and Bradley Cooper are hot, Drew Barrymore and Jennifer Connelly are depressed and the gays are in as the second bananas but this Sex and the City knock-off hasn't anything more worth discussing - except that Kris Kristofferson plays Aniston's father here, Marlo Thomas played Aniston's mother in Friends and the two actors starred together in 1984's The Lost Honor of Kathryn Beck. In the end this chick flick fails to click.

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...Donnie Darko (2001)

Even after multiple viewings, Donnie Darko never fails to enthrall. The metaphysical premise of the film is fascinating, the acting is phenomenal (except Drew Barrymore whose teacher doesn't ring true but gets kudos for being an executive producer), and the emotional resonance of the script left me in tears. Writer/director Richard Kelly's first feature film, although probably not for everyone, is intelligent film fare with style, and this theatrical version is required viewing BEFORE taking in the re-imagined Director's Cut, a fascinating film in its own right.