He says, she says on date night DVDs

Date night comes but once a week. What better way to reconnect than cozying up with a good flick and a pile of takeout?

Love in the Time of Cholera (New Line, 2008)

Dave: So this is the story of a fella who’s rejected by a girl he’s never talked to, and sets about sleeping with over 600 women in order to forget her? You’d think I’d have liked that.

Lisa: It’s based on a novel by Gabriel Garcia Márquez. It’s a beautiful narrative about the power of love. I’m sorry there wasn’t as much of the promised nudity as you would have liked.

Dave: As far as movies featuring the “power of love” go, the only one I want to watch is Back to the Future. A little Huey Lewis on the soundtrack is not a bad thing. This one has Shakira. Boring.

The Golden Compass (New Line, 2008)

Lisa: Lyra lives in a parallel universe and travels to the North to rescue some children from a creepy organization. It’s a kid’s movie, though the book was a bit heavier on the anti-religion aspect. I liked seeing the polar bear character in “real life.”

Dave: Family/adventure movies may be my favourite genre for a Friday night. They always appeal to both of us: good stories, a little action. Most of all, there’s little thinking involved – just a nice escape.

Lisa: Agreed. They rarely provoke any kind of argument about symbolism or allegories.

Bitchslap: Catfighting She-babes (Jef Films, 2008)

Dave: The tagline is “Action. Slap. Cut.” The jacket promises that the vintage fight footage of these femme fatales will maul and brawl their way into your heart.

Lisa: I’m not watching this.

Dave: But it’s “gorgeous grappling gladiator girls going ga-ga!”

Lisa: Maybe it’s something you could watch alone. And not tell me about it.

Juno (Fox, 2008)

Lisa: I really liked this story about a way-cooler-than-real-teens teenager who gets knocked up. Funny that it made us both think of high school (not the knocked up part!). This is a good genre because it usually contains a lot of pop culture references that we can talk about afterward.

Dave: Loved it.

Lisa: I loved that you cried at the end. (I don’t mean that in a mocking way.) I’m assuming it’s because the super-cute couple played one of “our” songs at the end, and not because you were sad about the characters’ situation?

Dave: Actually, I think one of the best aspects was the relationship between Juno and her dad (Law & Order’s J.K. Simmons). It’s pretty rare to see such a positive and supportive father figure in a movie like this. I hereby approve this rom-com as certifiably guy-friendly.

No Country for Old Men (Miramax, 2008)

Dave: I must say, the directors (Joel and Ethan Coen) deserved their Oscars [Best]for this flick in which a hunter stumbles on some dead bodies and a suitcase filled with $2 million near the Rio Grande. They turned Javier Bardem [who] into one of the most haunting movie bogeymen of all time.

Lisa: I was terrified beyond belief, and angry that you made me watch it, but I did like it. I guess this is a good date movie, because you can use the “I’m scared” excuse to cuddle.

Dave: Nice.

27 Dresses (Fox, 2008)

Lisa: Katherine Heigl is 27 times the bridesmaid, never the bride, and her sister is marrying the guy she’s secretly in love with. This is the kind of movie that is intended to give hope to single ladies, and provide something for people on first dates to stare at while they try to figure out what to talk about over coffee later.

Dave: I’m not watching it.

Lisa: I do think it’s a waste of two hours, but I picked it because I thought you liked romantic comedies. Didn’t you once watch The Break-up on TV while I was out with friends?

Dave: Well I think this is something you should watch alone. And not tell me about it.