Joy presents Jennifer Lawrence with her meatiest role since Ree in 2010’s Winter’s Bone, which fast-tracked her rise to one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actresses. With some of the lighter roles she’s taken on in recent years it’s easy to forget how effortlessly she can carry a film. Her presence alone… Continue reading
American Sniper tells the story of Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in American military history. With 160 confirmed kills out of a probable 255, Kyle did four tours of duty in Iraq as part of SEAL Team 3. The film is a largely straight-forward look at his life. The… Continue reading
The superhero genre has become so dark and self-serious, not to mention over-saturated, that it’s rapidly becoming a parody of itself. Guardians of the Galaxy seems aware of this and succeeds as a largely character and script-driven experience. Hardly any of the story is original, right down to the MacGuffin that… Continue reading
You have to hand it to American Hustle for taking its breadth of talent and just letting them run with every scene. Writer/director David O. Russell has gathered the finest cast of the year (including Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, who hit the jackpot last year in Russell’s Silver Linings… Continue reading
The Hangover Part II is more of a remake than a sequel, and the more you think about it the sadder that thought gets. The glass half-full people will say, “well, even a lackluster sequel to The Hangover will be better than just about any other comedy this year.” They’re… Continue reading
It’s always a worrisome proposition when an upcoming film touts nothing but its cast. Granted, Valentine’s Day has a doozy of a cast; probably the biggest ensemble in years. While the credits are impressive, the film is very mediocre. Trying desperately to be the next Love Actually (possibly the best… Continue reading
The Hangover is a breathless stroke of comedic genius; one of those movies where, when it comes out on DVD and you have a bunch of friends over, you won’t be able to watch just one scene. In what seems like a tight 100 minutes we have a ridiculously off-the-chain… Continue reading
Yes Man certainly marks a return to comedy form for Jim Carrey. It’s essentially a carbon copy of Liar Liar (replace those lies with the word “yes”), but it’s refreshing to see him back in something funny and harmless after clunkers like Fun with Dick and Jane and The Number… Continue reading