I can’t say Pitch Perfect 2 hits all the right notes, and it certainly isn’t the out-of-left-field treat its predecessor was. At the same time, Banks and her talented group of actors and filmmakers have done a nice job, composing a solid, fitfully funny operetta.

Wyrmwood doesn’t reinvent the wheel. It doesn’t shake up the zombie genre so much that it will never be the same afterwards. Yet it’s filled to the brim with indelible moments that joyfully take up space in the memory, showcases sequences of ingenuity and wit that had me rocking back and forth in my seat in total, unrestrained euphoria.

As silly as it is, as dumb as the majority of the film might be, this new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, directed by Jonathan Liebesman, produced by Michael Bay, is hardly a total waste of time.

Guardians of the Galaxy takes the Marvel brand into new territories and does so with grandly entertaining brio, and even if all facets aren’t quite perfect they’re still strong enough to make this sci-fi adventure worthwhile.

a SIFF 2013 review Nothing Cheap About These Bleakly Satirical Thrills Cheap Thrills is the best movie you are likely going to be too scared to see. An eviscerating satirical assault on financial disparity and the smug, narcissistic tendencies of a seemingly uncaring elite coupled with the anything-goes neediness of a working class oftentimes willing […]

The Wolf of Wall Street showcases Martin Scorsese at the height of his cinematic powers, and as difficult as the movie can be at times, and as long as it is, this is still an uncompromising, deeply fascinating satirical black comedy I’m certain to be revisiting multiple times in the very near future.

Foul-Mouthed Words Spells Comedy S-U-C-C-E-S-S The Golden Quill national spelling bee thought it could handle any problem that might arise as the journey towards crowning a champion is embarked upon. After all, this is the premier event for adolescent spellers. Considering the participants a few unruly parents and a missed curfew or two, coupled with […]

Anderson’s Budapest Hotel a Comedic Masterwork I’ve said more than a handful of times in the past that the works of Wes Anderson are arguably made for certain palates, each motion picture a fanciful journey into a highly stylized world acquired tastes adore while everyone else scratches their collective chins wondering what all the fuss […]

Wreck-It Ralph is a ton of fun. It is a total delight, immersing me right into the center of its inspired video game world with confident ease.