Julie & Julia
Directed by Nora Ephron

Husbands, boyfriends, and anyone else not particularly interested in French cooking and feminine angst who is dragged to Julie & Julia should at least enjoy one moment: a clip of Dan Aykroyd channeling a bloodied Julia Child on Saturday Night Live.

Meryl Streep does an impressive impersonation, too, but big-girl body language and a parade of nearly high-British "Ooowwhhs!" is not enough to keep this two-plus hour film from turning into a snooze. Neither is its second story arc involving Julie Powell (Amy Adams), a real New Yorker and aspiring writer who, dissatisfied with her life, gave herself the assignment of making all of Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking recipes in one year and blogging about it.

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This weekend's film openings promise something for everyone—action movie buffs, the kiddies, and lovers of French and independent film.

- Terminator Salvation: "I'll be back... again and again and again..." And again. Yep, Warner Bros. thought a fourth film about post-apocalyptic crusading cyborgs would be perfect for summer 2009. This time around, it's 2018 and Edward Furlong's John Connor has matured into resistance-leader Christian Bale. Helena Bonham Carter makes an appearance and Common joins the quest to rally nuclear holocaust survivors and save the world.

- Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian: Lovable night guard Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) is back, this time a successful inventor who returns to his old post at New York's Museum of Natural History where the curator, played to perfection by Ricky Gervais, tells him that many of the old exhibits are being shipped to the Smithsonian, for storage or destruction. Daley races to D.C. where he's joined by Amelia Earhart (Amy Adams)—and eventually everyone in the Air and Space Museum—on a heartwarming journey to save old friends and defeat the evil Kahmunrah (Hank Azaria).

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Let's see, where did I leave off nearly 12 hours ago?

Actually, I don't have a whole lot more to say:

8) I'm flabbergasted that The Curious Case of Benjamin Button received 13 (!) nominations, while the superior and far more engaging Gran Torino got nothing.

9) I think Milk and Slumdog Millionaire are the only films that belong in the Best Picture category.

10) I love me some Amy Adams, but she could have nailed her minor Doubt performance while drunk on the blood of Christ.

So it looks like the Feb. 22 telecast will be another long night of predictable winners and people who shouldn't be there.

Speaking of which, I don't know how I missed this announcement, but: Hugh Jackman as host? Really?

I'm not saying we need to go back to the days of Billy Crystal -- or, shudder, Whoopi Goldberg -- but the Oscars require navigation by someone who can quickly take the wind out of its sails. (Hey, my metaphors match.) Pretty dresses -- and faces, nothing against you, Hugh -- aren't quite enough.

But don't think I'll miss one second of it anyway.