Punch-Drunk Love 52
Such a disappointment. I dig P.T. Anderson, and I guess I went in thinking this would be, well, a P.T. Anderson movie. How did he go from something as interesting as "Magnolia" to something simpler than "Notting Hill"? I wanted to like this half-assed attempt at romantic nostalgia, I really did. But I gave up the goat 20 minutes in, which is when I started fantasizing about going home. I just don't get where the critics are coming from on this one. It seems too odd for mainstream audiences, and too void for the rest of us.

Why it still scored: It's cool visually, save for these useless psychedelic screen savers between scenes. Some of the dialogue is so strangely wonderful, as is Adam Sandler's odd man-boy. And he is good, alternately more subtle and explosive than I've seen him... although he'll still always be Adam Sandler, just like Ross will always be Ross.

(Editor's note: It's dawned on me that this one might play better the second time around, now that I know the story's not going anywhere in particular.)