Think Like a Man: surprisingly better

Unfortunately, with a crap ton of supporting evidence, I had essentially written off the predominantly black comedy.  From the cross-dressing to the one-dimensional characters and stereotypically-acted script, an all black cast typically entertained me but yet made me feel that I had to apologize for its existence.  This film, however, broke the mold to come up with a relevant way to discuss the topic of African-American dating.  Though it wraps up with a cheesy happy ending and contains every prominent black star (music and acting) under the age of 30, it was one of the best ensemble romantic comedies I've seen since Love Actually came out.
Verdict: Worth the fanfare (Go for it!) 

Jiro dreams of sushi: inspiring and depressing

If you ever wanted to see a real life man-version of a Cinderella story, where he doesn't cop out by wishing really hard to marry a princess, this documentary is for you.  Learning all of the intricacies of making O-toro, Jiro Dreams of Sushi details the art of honing the craft of sushi (after practicing for 60 years).  Though there is gratuitous footage of perfect pieces of sushi, this film allows you to extrapolate to see what pursuing your passion looks like after all is said and done.  This relentless journey  obviously creates some tradeoffs... such as a terrible family life and enormous pressure on yourself and your children to succeed you.  However, Jiro is a compelling look into what you can do with your life with focus and a never ending desire to better yourself.    Verdict: Check it out (totally worth the trip to your local indie theater)

The Hunger Games: well done

So, I first will caveat: I have not read the book; it goes against my "no expectation" viewing process.  I actually went to see this movie based on the trailer alone (before it was hyped to have the largest opening weekend gross of all time).  As someone who did not recognize "may the odds be ever in your favor," I had no idea what the objective of the games actually were.  All in all, it was engaging, giving just enough context to understand what's important and fast moving enough to not be bored.  I did not expect the primitive nature of children battling to the death so it was clearly more intense than I thought it would be.  Nonetheless, it's a compelling story that is more than about children's games; it's about the rules that keep a diverse society in delicate balance.
Verdict: totally worth it (go now)

21 Jump Street: intentionally cheesy

It makes fun of itself, so I figured I have the right to do so as well.  What makes this story so great, is how it contrasts the stereotypes of high school kids from 1987 to 2012.  Granted that is a 25 year evolution, so there are bound to be some differences, but the revelation that smarts are in and jocky is out was beautifully executed.   It's also worth noting the girl-power counter duo kicking ass at the station.  It both acknowledged and defied its original roots, even with a new take on the war on drugs.  It's the new aged bromance where we learn to appreciate what everyone can bring to the table, the loyal and the jackasses,the smart and the stupid, the athletic and the not.
Verdict: enjoyable (...when you're in the mood)