During the summer, romantic movies—comedic or otherwise—have usually been just “he said, she said” counterprogramming to all the robots and superheroes blasting the box office. This season, what “he” said is getting more screen time. The focus in “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” is on Matthew McConaughey as a philandering photographer who is visited by the spirits of his past trysts—all the way back to his first love (played by Jennifer Garner). It was new ground for McConaughey, who democratically tussled with Kate Hudson on screen in “Fool’s Gold” and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.“

It’s the time of year when most films go “bang” and “crash” and “zoom” and “snap,“ when the multiplexes are packed on multiple screens with animated movies and blockbusters and animated blockbusters. But if you look carefully enough, you’ll find some smarter, more challenging pictures that aim to make you think and feel, not just dazzle you with high-tech visuals or tickle your funny bone.