This week at the movies, we've got mother/daughter conflict ("Because I Said So," starring Diane Keaton and Mandy Moore) and dark proceedings on a North Dakota sunflower farm ("The Messengers," starring Dylan McDermott and Penelope Ann Miller). What do the critics have to say?

Diane Keaton is one of America's finest actresses, and Mandy Moore has continued to emerge as an engaging cinematic presence. Thus, critics say it's especially disappointing that "Because I Said So," a dramedy about the dating woes of a mother and daughter, is so derivative. Keaton stars as a mom who is overly involved in Moore's love life, in the hopes of helping her avoid past mistakes. The pundits say the actors in "Because" do the best they can with the material, which isn't much, since the script is slight and shrill. At eight percent on the Tomatometer, the critics are saying to stay away from this one just "Because."


The eight percent tomatometer came as a shock.

The folks behind "The Messengers" are sending a missive to audiences by not screening the film for critics. The message is this: the movie probably isn't any good. Directed by the Pang brothers, the film stars Dylan McDermott and Penelope Ann Miller as a couple whose children see dead people; evil goings-on ensue. Memo to readers: Guess that Tomatometer!


"I see...film critics!"

Also opening this week in limited release: "East of Havana," a documentary about young rap artists in Cuba, is at 100 percent; "An Unreasonable Man," a documentary about Ralph Nader's tumultuous career, is at 91 percent on the Tomatometer; "Fired!" a comedic meditation on the nature of getting sacked, is at 75 percent; "In The Pit," a Mexican documentary about freeway builders, is at 57 percent; "Puccini for Beginners," a screwball love-triangle comedy starring Gretchen Mol, is at 36 percent; "The Situation," a multifaceted look at the U.S. occupation of Iraq starring Connie Nielsen, is at 36 percent; and "Constellation," a story of familial togetherness, is at zero percent.


"An Unreasonble Man" is good for consumers.

And finally, it's time to dole out congrats to those clairvoyant souls who correctly guessed last week's Tomatometers for "Epic Movie" and "Blood and Chocolate." To sir_mcchris_the_pirate, we say, "yo-ho-ho and a bottle of props" for correctly guessing "Epic"'s three percent. And a "bow-wow-wow-yippie-yo-yippie-yay" to the one and only dreday, on a Tomatometer-guessing spree; the good doctor correctly estimated "Blood"'s eight percent.

Recent Diane Keaton Movies:
-------------------------------------
53% -- The Family Stone (2005)
69% -- Something's Gotta Give (2003)
13% -- Town and Country (2001)
11% -- Hanging Up (2000)
32% -- The Other Sister (1999)

Recent Mandy Moore Movies:
---------------------------------------
41% -- American Dreamz (2006)
45% -- Romance and Cigarettes (2006)
67% -- Brother Bear 2 (2006)
34% -- Racing Stripes (2005)
60% -- Saved! (2004)

Films Not Screened for Critics in 2007
----------------------------------------------
3% -- Epic Movie
8% -- Blood and Chocolate
22% -- The Hitcher
16% -- Primeval