The Big Short (2015)

The Big Short (2015)

As evidenced by recent releases such as Margin Call, The Wolf of Wall Street, and even this year’s 99 Homes, movies about the financial market can be risky, complicated beasts. There’s always a scene that boils down to metaphors or “explain this to me like I’m a child.” The Big… Continue reading

Foxcatcher (2014)

Foxcatcher (2014)

Foxcatcher, director Bennett Miller’s latest blend of sport and human drama, is an actor’s movie. That’s not so much an insult as an observation. Understated and very casually-paced, the film features three pristine performances in service to a story that builds tension leading to inevitable tragedy. The ending will be a… Continue reading

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013)

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013)

Finally, an absurdist comedy that wears the label proudly. The Incredible Burt Wonderstone comes from the Will Ferrell school of film comedies, meaning that we have bizarre people doing bizarre things, but it somehow gels. The film isn’t quite the classic it could have been with such a stacked cast… Continue reading

Get Smart (2008)

Get Smart (2008)

Get Smart is the latest in the endless chain of sitcoms, regardless of quality, getting the big screen treatment by Hollywood. I fondly remember watching the show on TV as a kid and being amused by the slapstick humor and sheer stupidity of Maxwell Smart, played to perfection by Don… Continue reading

Over the Hedge (2006)

Over the Hedge (2006)

There is a scene in DreamWorks Animation’s Over the Hedge when Hammy (voiced by Steve Carell), an already-hyperactive squirrel, chugs a can of the most caffeinated cola on the market. Time literally stands still, everyone else moves in slow motion, and Hammy accomplishes his mission. This scene alone is worth… Continue reading