The Sheep Detectives (2026)

I love a good mystery. A kindly old shepherd is found murdered, and his flock, who he used to read detective novels to every night, take it upon themselves to solve the crime by nudging the unwitting humans in the right direction. It's a lot better than it sounds. Emotionally resonant and heavier than expected for a family film, it's surprisingly moving and likely to bring a tear to your ewe.

3½ clouds out of 5

MASCOTS [2016]

Director Christopher Guest returns to his mockumentary comedies about broken down flakes who just won't quit in Mascots.
This time around eccentric sports mascots from all over the world have gathered together to compete for the obscure Golden Fluffy Award.
If you're familiar with Guest's previous films Best in Show or Waiting for Guffman than you know exactly what you're getting.  If you're completely in love with those films than chances are you'll enjoy this one but don't expect Guest to attempt to do anything different.  He plays it pretty safe here, which isn't a bad thing if you're in it just for the laughs because there's plenty to be had.  I was constantly giggling so I got just what I wanted with this one but many will want more considering it's been so long since his last film.

3 pink bunny Furries out of 5

MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN [2016]

Without the aid of Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter or Danny Elfman, director Tim Burton steps out of his comfort zone for the best with his adaptation of Ransom Riggs' Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.
When his storytelling grandfather dies, young Jake travels to England where he discovers the tales are true, after he time travels into the 1940's to a hidden orphanage that houses a group of bizarre super-powered children.
Like the black & white photos that litter the novel itself, Burton's film can get immensely creepy and oddly disturbing, so don't take the wee ones to this one.  It's filled with beautifully frightening imagery and fantastical music, so naturally it's going to please fans of the director's earlier works.  The characters are a little thin and things are a bit rushed in moments but overall it's the perfect answer to the over-exposure of dystopian future YA stories.

3½ delightfully tasty eyeballs out of 5

ST. VINCENT [2014]

Just when I was ready to write off Melissa McCarthy as a one-hit wonder along comes writer/director Theodore Melfi's quiet little comedy St. Vincent.
It's the contrived story of a grumpy loser of an old man that finds a new reason to get up in the morning through the friendship of the new kid next door.  The best part about St. Vincent is McCarthy isn't the best part, the rest of the cast are just as good as she is, including Jaeden Lieberher, who never gets too cute or steps into "I'm a good child actor" territory.  Sure the story's been trampled over a million times before but the wonderfully played characters and sharp dialogue make this harmless heart-warming comedy well worth the visit.

3½ plates of "sushi" out of 5

CALVARY [2014]

John Michael McDonagh's second directorial feature is the disturbing and satirical black comedy Calvary.
Brendan Gleeson is fantastic as a Catholic priest who is told he's going to be murdered in a week during a confession.  His performance is filled with depth that portrays anguish, love, contempt and buried anger that is ever so subtle.  He's surrounded by a flock of villagers that wouldn't be out of place in a town like Twin Peaks, where they all have unsettling quirks and nasty secrets.  The story unfolds like a stageplay with gnashing teeth, beautifully written dialogue and a cast of characters one could only dream of.  Let's not forget the wonderful photography which plays a part all it's own and Patrick Cassidy's heartbreaking score which forced a lump in my throat through the opening credits.
It tells a story that is deceivingly abstract that simply lets us know there's still good in this world using the most cynical, frightening and depressing ways possible.

5 paintings to piss on out of 5

EPIC [2013]

Ice Age director Chris Wedge brings Rise Of The Guardians' creator William Joyce's The Leaf Men & The Brave Good Bugs to the screen in the dully titled Epic.
Playing like a Lord Of The Rings-esque version of Ferngully and Avatar, the film is a fast-paced, high-spirited adventure that might be entertaining at the time but ultimately proves to be quite forgettable.  It's filled with enthralling visuals, an enthusiastic score from Danny Elfman and some genuinely funny moments but unfortunately it gets bogged down by an uneven script and too many enticing possibilities it just begins to explore before it gets distracted by something else.  In short, it's perfect for a Sunday morning or a sick on the couch sort of experience.

3 legged dogs out of 5

FRIENDS WITH KIDS [2011]

Writer, director and star Jennifer Westfeldt reassembles half the cast of Bridesmaids for her indie-comedy Friends With Kids.
Unfortunately it's not the least bit humorous and it's characters are unintentionally douchey and annoying.  It's such a waste of a normally funny ensemble cast that all seem to be in it as a friendly favor to Westfeldt.  Her ego is inflated with the notion that she can write a story about "real humans" doing "real stuff" because she understands it all so well, when in fact she does nothing but waste your time with this unrealistic dribble.

1 case of explosive diarrhea out of 5

THIS IS 40 [2012]

Billed as the "sort-of" sequel to 2007's Knocked Up, writer/director Judd Apatow's This Is 40 is a funny and touching comedy about hitting middle age while in a marriage with kids and an "insane" family.  

Gifted with a fantastic charismatic cast, contemplative observations and a heavy dose of funny, the film is unfortunately dragged down by a ridiculously long running time as it wastes it time on a few aimless plot points and minor characters.   In the end, I was left completely satisfied with just being able to laugh for 2 hours and thirteen minutes.  

3½ episodes of LOST out of 5