Some couldn't climb a rope, others got pelted with dodge balls: It's safe to say a lot of us have negative associations with gym class, the most Darwinian of middle school educational pursuits. Mr. Woodcock taps into that feeling, but not quite successfully, say the pundits. The movie stars Seann William Scott as a self-help author who's never quite gotten over the ritual abuse he suffered at the hands of his P.E. teacher, the sadistic Mr. Woodcock (Billy Bob Thornton); the trauma continues when he learns his mom (Susan Sarandon) is dating old nemesis. Critics say Woodcock lacks the energy to make the most of its intriguing premise, and underutilizes a talented cast.

The Hunting Party tells the story of two veteran war correspondents (Richard Gere and Terrence Howard) on the trail of a Bosnian war criminal -- and the story that could make their careers. The Hunting Party isn't the first movie to attempt to mine bleak humor from the Bosnian conflict (the Oscar-winning No Man's Land also found some grim laughs in the midst of that bitter war). But critics say director Richard Shepard's follow-up to The Matador is awkward at a tonal level, shifting from dark satire to serious discussions of international politics to create an uneven film, despite the best efforts of its game leads.