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No matter what you think of the movie's final act, HIDE AND SEEK is worth watching for the performances alone. I, for one, liked the ending even though I saw it coming a reel away. It's the only way the movie could've ended for me. No one else could've been Charlie. I would've been disappointed if it didn't end the way it did. What makes the ending so effective is that it makes the performances even richer. Despite what its distributor 20th Century Fox would like you to believe, it's not a "twist" movie. HIDE AND SEEK is an acting thriller. The biggest thrill is watching De Niro and Dakota Fanning. The biggest suspense lies in whether a master actor would hold his own against a scene-stealing student. The "twist" for me is that the master still has the chops. De Niro gives a quietly compelling performance. It seems hip nowadays to bash De Niro for choosing projects that aren't worthy of his talent. Hey, he's De Niro. He can do whatever he wants. I think his role in HIDE AND SEEK is a worthy and challenging one. It's a role that requires subtlety and power. De Niro delivers. And there's the challenge of going toe to toe with that kid phenom. The music they create together is beautiful and haunting. They're so good together it's scary.

MEET THE FOCKERS made me laugh a lot. It probably has more laughs than the original, but the laughs aren't as big or as fresh or as subtle. And as sequels go, it contains many scenes that are mere variations of the original: the dinner gone wrong, the sports competition gone wrong, the pet gone wrong, the Owen Wilson cameo, the "focker" puns, etc. But many of the variations are quite inspired. Thanks to the terrific cast. De Niro, Stiller, Hoffman and Streisand all look like they're having a great time. Each is given a scene or two to really shine; De Niro and Hoffman fare the best. A child actor's also been added to the cast, and he's a scene-stealer. I just wish Blythe Danner (Mrs. Byrnes) and Teri Polo (Pam Focker) were given more to do. But, as entertaining as I thought the movie was, expect many critics to be turned off or pretend to be turned off by the numerous toilet jokes. I say, flock 'em!

Anal-ize this!!! Although not as good as the original, ANALYZE THAT is still good enough. In some ways, it improves on the original. De Niro is more relaxed, nastier and funnier. There's less of Billy Crystal, which is always a good thing. But when the two of them are together on screen, the movie's laugh-out loud funny. Yes, the plot is dispensable and most of the jokes are mere variations of the original. It's a sequel, for Christ's sake. Accept it for what it is, a reunion with old friends who make you laugh even if they tell you the same jokes over and over.