2016

LONDON TOWN: A Coming Of Age Tale With A Punk Rock Savior

London Town is a fictional story about a boy in 1970s London meeting up with his music idol, Joe Strummer; it is a mostly entertaining romp.

IT'S ONLY THE END OF THE WORLD: Xavier Dolan's First Misfire
IT’S ONLY THE END OF THE WORLD: Xavier Dolan’s First Misfire

Admirably performed, It’s Only the End of The World suffers from underwritten characters and a refusal to bring his trademark widescreen scope

HEADSHOT: The Unofficial THE RAID Sequel We All Want
HEADSHOT: The Unofficial THE RAID Sequel We All Want

Headshot is a bit too melodramatic and tries to emulate The Raid sequels too blatantly, yet it is just enough to satisfy action junkies.

THE SALESMAN: Morally Complex & Utterly Engaging
THE SALESMAN: Morally Complex & Utterly Engaging

The Salesman is the latest by renowned filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, succeeding as both a political thriller and a tightly-knit character drama.

THE MAN WITH FOUR LEGS: Elegantly Disturbing
THE MAN WITH FOUR LEGS: Elegantly Disturbing

With finely tuned performances, The Man With Four Legs is also a visual treat, working within a genre that is often difficult to define.

BILLY LYNN'S LONG HALFTIME WALK: A Visual Misfire We Didn't See Coming
BILLY LYNN’S LONG HALFTIME WALK: A Visual Misfire We Didn’t See Coming

Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk is atypical for Ang Lee; though the visuals are impressive, the film surrounding it fails to have an impact.

THE LAST LAUGH: Comedy vs. The Holocaust
THE LAST LAUGH: Comedy vs. The Holocaust

The Last Laugh is a profound documentary that somehow warmly weighs the need for laughter with the immense tragedy that was the Holocaust.

GOLD: McConaughey’s Prospects Fail To Strike Cinematic Riches
GOLD: McConaughey’s Prospects Fail To Strike Cinematic Riches

Gold features a flashy performance by Matthew McConaughey, yet the remainder of the film surrounding him fails to impress.

THE COMEDIAN: An Intriguing Tragedian
THE COMEDIAN: An Intriguing Tragedian

The Comedian boasts a few laughs and a fine performance by Robert De Niro, but the remainder of the film is a rather listless venture.

The Best Documentaries Of 2016
The Best Documentaries Of 2016

We’ve put together a list of the best documentaries of 2016 – a tough task as the quality of documentaries was high throughout the year!

David Brent: Life on the Road: A Tour of Sadness, Monotony, and Acceptance
DAVID BRENT: LIFE ON THE ROAD: A Tour Of Sadness, Monotony & Acceptance

Ricky Gervais’ feature length outing for his most beloved character is one of the most emotionally poignant comedies in recent memory.

YOU'RE KILLING ME SUSANA: Not Engaging Enough To Drive Its Points Home
YOU’RE KILLING ME SUSANA: Not Engaging Enough To Drive Its Points Home

You’re Killing Me Susana doesn’t adhere to almost any of the rom-com genre’s stereotypes, yet its static characters cause it to stumble.

BLOOD ON THE MOUNTAIN: Rage And Decay In Coal Country
BLOOD ON THE MOUNTAIN: Rage And Decay In Coal Country

West Virginia has suddenly become the subject of intense scrutiny. The denizens of the state could well be forgiven for wondering where the mass media and political class were before the 2016 presidential primaries and election turned West Virginia into an unlikely bellweather for the appeal of Donald Trump’s populist rhetoric. Trump’s hardhat-donning ‘Trump Digs Coal’ campaign delivered him the state by a resounding 68.

LIVE BY NIGHT: Ben Affleck's Next Great Effort As Writer/Director/Star
LIVE BY NIGHT: Ben Affleck’s Next Great Effort As Writer/Director/Star

Live by Night is the next directorial effort from Ben Affleck, in which he also stars/writes/produces; it is another indicator of his talent.

ROAD TO THE WELL: A Thriller That Rarely Thrills
ROAD TO THE WELL: A Thriller That Rarely Thrills

Road to the Well has redeeming qualities, including fine acting and cinematography, yet it falls short of greatness from its lacking story.