Hello again Babblers! I had a long holiday without doing much. Caught these two over the holidays.
The Spirit

Expected a lot from this but it's just a few notches above the exercise in futility that was Sin City. Most of the fault lies in lead actor Gabriel watsisname, lending no conviction to the lines, all delivered in drooping deadpan. To compare him with a plank would be an insult to the plank. Only saving grace is Sam Jackson's OTT performance as the Octopus. The girls aren't that great, Eva Mendes looking good and nothing else besides. Scarlett Johannson as Silken Floss does lend some sizzle but she's underused. I wouldn't really advise anybody bothering with this, and the 1987 TV movie with Sam J. Jones was so much better anyway. What tries to come off as "noir" ends up being plasticky and gimicky and contrived.

Yes Man

Much better than the total pile of dung that was "Fun with Dick and Jane". The cult-ish elements of the "Yes" cult is never really exploited, though. The saving grace is the often witty banter between Carrey and Deschanel. Funniest bit - Carrey singing "Jumper" to a suicide case. Never goes anywhere near Ace Ventura 2, though. That's still my fave Carrey movie.