Hot Pursuit (2015)

Hot Pursuit (2015)

Like most bad comedies, Hot Pursuit has a blooper reel attached to the end credits. Also like most bad comedies, the blooper reel contains more than the sum number of laughs preceding it. This is an alarmingly misguided effort, pairing two very different actresses – one of them good – in a… Continue reading

Inherent Vice (2014)

Inherent Vice (2014)

Seedy, drug-fueled, and absent any type of sense we’re used to in film, Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice is a film destined to divide any audience that watches it. Its core story is fairly straightforward, but twists and turns abound that don’t make a great deal of sense. Anderson seems to… Continue reading

Wild (2014)

Wild (2014)

Wild chronicles Cheryl Strayed’s 1,100 mile journey along the Pacific Crest Trail in 1995. It’s a story of personal enlightenment and redemption, well-told and acted, and beautifully photographed. The film doesn’t trek over new ground, but its stream-of-consciousness narrative style and an Oscar-worthy turn from Reese Witherspoon raise it above the… Continue reading

Four Christmases (2008)

Four Christmases (2008)

With the exceptions of Bad Santa, The Polar Express, Love Actually, and Elf, this decade has been pretty pathetic when it comes to holiday-themed films. It’s time to face it: there’s nothing new for this sub-genre to offer. As Christmas had become increasingly more about consumerism and all-around obnoxiousness, so… Continue reading

Just Like Heaven (2005)

Just Like Heaven (2005)

Just Like Heaven is lighter than the cotton candy at the summer State Fair and is riddled with sitcom-style antics, but it’s that sheer goofiness and willingness to go for broke that makes it a surprisingly delectable romantic comedy. In a summer full of surprises for the genre, Just Like… Continue reading