Spanglish (2004) and other horrors

I am always hopeful when I watch new films but the last few days have been painful.  I'll start with the above movie, probably promoted as an Adam Sandler vehicle, which would have disappointed his legion of young fans.  It wasn't even his story as he played a largely subdued and confused celebrtity chef.  Nor was it his dysfunctional wife's as played by the usually amusing Tea Leoni, here playing the sort of over-reaching woman that could put your teeth on edge.  Nor was it the Spanish actress Paz Vega's in her first English-speaking role, as the Mexican single mother who becomes their maid.  If anything it was her daughter's as she related the above history in an essay on her college application. To watch these characters exposing their neuroses for two hours was painful indeed.  Yes, Mr. Sandler is attempting to grow up, but please, not into a conflicted bore.

Some other movies that have paraded past my eyes include the screamingly horrible "Are We There Yet" (2005) in which the normally competent ex-rapper Ice Cube agrees to transport some obnoxious kids in an attempt to ingratiate himself with their mom.  It was one of those experiences where I wanted to climb into the fame and slap somebody.  Of course, I suppose, I could have turned it off, but it had an unexplainable hold.  Then there was an oddity called "Who is Cletis Tout" from 2001 which I had never even heard of, and if it ever was released to cinemas, it probably did around $2.13 worth of business.  An able cast of Christian Slater, Richard Dreyfuss and Tim Allen (playing against type as a hitman obsessed with old movies -- just like moi) could not compensate for the complications and impossibilities of the plot.  But full marks for trying.  There were some other films as well, but the less said, the better.