2017

TRAMPS: A Familiar Commute With Charming Leads
TRAMPS: A Familiar Commute With Charming Leads

Tramps may be a rom-com story we’ve all seen before, but it’s done with charming and nuanced touches that make it a joy to watch.

JAWBONE: Breathes New Life Into the Stale Boxing Drama Genre
JAWBONE: Breathes New Life Into the Stale Boxing Drama Genre

Avoiding cliches and mostly celebrating in richly defined performances, Jawbone is among the more engaging boxing movies in recent memory.

FIST FIGHT: A Briskly Funny Exploration of the American Education System
FIST FIGHT: A Briskly Funny Exploration Of The American Education System

Not all the jokes in Fist Fight land, but the film still works surprisingly well as a satirical exploration of the American education system.

A Summer Box Office Forecast – Part 1

In the first of a series for 2017, we take a run-down through the box office potential of several high-profile summer movies.

THE BAR: An Unfortunate Reflection of Today
THE BAR: An Unfortunate Reflection Of Today

The Bar is a predictable story that constantly betrays its established characters in order to service the cynical narrative.

WIN IT ALL: Jake Johnson Gives A Career-Making Performance In This Mumblecore Crime Dramedy
WIN IT ALL: Jake Johnson Gives A Career-Making Performance In This Mumblecore Crime Dramedy

Win It All carries mumblecore’s characteristic diversions, seemingly innocuous quirks, and has a few unexpected narrative twists.

SOMEWHERE BEAUTIFUL: Failing To Find Focus
SOMEWHERE BEAUTIFUL: Fails To Find Focus

Though captured beautifully, Somewhere Beautiful suffers from an unfocused script and rushed direction by Albert Kodagolian.

THE OTHER HALF: An Unconventional Love Story That Speaks Volumes
THE OTHER HALF: An Unconventional Love Story That Speaks Volumes

The Other Half is a balanced portrait of not only a tangible and tender romance, but of a subject so little-seen in film; mental illness.

I CALLED HIM MORGAN: A Riveting Treatment of an American Music Legend
I CALLED HIM MORGAN: A Riveting Treatment Of An American Music Legend

I Called Him Morgan is a riveting look at jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan, examining his life, his music, and his impact on those who knew him.

COLOSSAL: Anne Hathaway Towers Over An Uneven Landscape
COLOSSAL: Anne Hathaway Towers Over An Uneven Landscape

Colossal is a fantasy-oriented film about a kaiju monster that somehow manages to be both emotionally effective and profound.

LOSING SIGHT OF SHORE: An Inspiring Journey

Losing Sight of Shore is an inspiring and empowering documentary about four women who crossed the Pacific Ocean in a rowboat.

UNFORGETTABLE: A Sexist Generic Thriller
UNFORGETTABLE: A Sexist, Generic Thriller

Unforgettable is an attempt at a provocative erotic thriller, but it relies on overused tropes and cheap parlor tricks to get it done,

THE LOST CITY OF Z: Eschews Convention In Search Of Greatness

The Lost City of Z is a work about a British explorer that triumphs in visual splendor, forming an identity as a meditative outlook on life.

CASTING JONBENET: Memory As Context
CASTING JONBENET: Memory As Context

A documentary about the famous murder case, Casting JonBenet combines interviews with reenacted footage in an unconventionally effective way.

LOST IN LONDON: Woody Harrelson's Quietly Epic One-Take Wonder
LOST IN LONDON: Woody Harrelson’s Quietly Epic One-Take Wonder

Filmed live, and in one continuous take, Lost in London is a film that could seem gimmicky, yet succeeds due to its expert comedic timing.