THE BACK-UP PLAN * * * *
Cert 12A, 103 mins
Having taken time out to give birth to twins, it’s appropriate that Jennifer Lopez’s first major film since 2005 should be all about pregnancy and babies.

She plays Zoe, the owner of a pet shop who is desperate to become a mum. Unable to find her Mr Right, she decides to go ahead and be artificially inseminated by an anonymous sperm donor.

Amazingly, she becomes pregnant at her first attempt.

And stretching coincidences even more, on that very day she happens to meet cheesemaker Stan (Australian newcomer Alex O’Loughlin), who she soon realises could be The One. Especially when he goes to ridiculously romantic lengths on their first date.

He’s smitten by her so he doesn’t run a mile when she reveals that she’s expecting another man’s baby.

But can he really cope with this major responsibility, not to mention her mood swings, belching and all the extra expense? And can she learn to trust someone else?

This romcom is as predictable and contrived as they come, especially when they have to break-up before inevitably getting back together for the happy ending.

But it’s also funny and sweet, with some amusing lines. A graphic waterbirth scene could well make you laugh out loud, but be warned that there’s a lot of warts-and-all detail about pregnancy.

The Back-Up Plan has much to recommend it, from the nice shots of New York and J-Lo to an adorable disabled dog in a ‘wheelchair’ who pretty much steals the show.

Lopez may not be the world’s best actress, but she’s accomplished at romcoms and is never less than watchable in this forgettable, but fun, film.  RL

HOT TUB TIME MACHINE  * * * *
Cert 15, 99 mins
Whenever you look up the titles of many films, it’s amazing how you can often discover there have been half a dozen predecessors with similar names.

But one thing is for sure. You won’t find another film that has ever been called Hot Tub Time Machine before.

It’s such an unforgettable title that when one of the characters utters those words in the movie it earns a laugh.

Yet the story is so derivative the plot is widely being touted as The Hangover (last year’s smash hit rude comedy) meets the more family friendly time- travelling ethos of Back To The Future.

Like The Hangover, there’s a bunch of blokes on a trip that’s wilder than their wildest dreams. And nightmares.

Like Back To The Future, someone is going to find out something rather strange about his folks.

Potential viewers should be warned that Hot Tub Time Machine features copious drug use, wild sex, lots of foul language and adult scenes galore.

But the film’s often priceless physical comedy and that knowing feeling that virtually everyone does things that they come to regret with the passing of time eases it along.

Throw in 1980s’ references galore on top of a truly great running gag about a one-armed hotel porter and you have the recipe for chuckle vision.

The opening reel begins like a heavyweight boxer going for a two-round knock-out.

You wonder how these sex-starved boys will keep it up. And, sure enough, they can’t. But whenever you think they are taking an overlong breather back they come with another big-hitting gag and a finale that packs plenty of punches.

After he was forced to labour through the special effects in 2012, it’s good to see John Cusack returning to form amid the constant silliness.

This is also a great vehicle for Craig Robinson (one of the stars of the US version of The Office) to make a name for himself and for 66-year-old National Lampoon’s Vacation star Chevy Chase to remind everyone that he’s still alive as The Repairman.

Rob Corddry (What Happens In Vegas) is a hoot as on-the-edge Lou and Clark Duke (Kick-Ass/Sex Drive) plays the geeky Jacob to refreshing perfection in an age when we’re facing an overkill of such characters.

Director Steve Pink has history with John Cusack, starring with him in Grosse Point Blank (1997) and writing High Fidelity (2000) as well as producing both of those films.

As if to prove his versatility, he’s also credited with being a music supervisor for Hot Tub, too. In the end, Pink makes much better use of his soundtrack than Iron Man 2’s misleading allegiance to what turns out to be just two of AC/DC’s back catalogue tracks.   GY

FURRY VENGEANCE  *
Cert PG, 91 mins
If you only take your children to see movies like Up and How To Train Your Dragon, they’ll think every film is going to be fantastic.

That’s not very good training for the disappointments of life, so Furry Vengeance does have one purpose.

My two youngest children dropped below three stars for the first time, each of them giving this just one star.

Watching Brendan Fraser learning the hard way about messing with nature launched their critical faculties big time. and it could be a useful skill to have when they are old enough to deal with monkeys peddling bogus climate change taxes.    GY