COLOSSAL [2017]

Director Nacho Vigalondo comes up with one of the more unique films of the year so far with the hilariously strange sci-fi/drama Colossal.
Anne Hathaway does a fantastic job as an alcoholic who moves back to her home town, where she discovers she somehow controls the actions of a kaiju that simultaneously appeared in South Korea.
The carnage the monster causes takes a subtle back seat to the emotional wreckage caused by the leading character's alcohol addictions and social interactions.  If you're at all familiar with the disease then there's plenty to be found in it's far-fetched yet small-scope intimacy.  Unfortunately some of the plotting is sloppily aimless and that's where it loses the impact of what should have been an instant cult-classic.

3 black-outs out of 5

HARMONTOWN [2014]

Director Neil Berkeley, who documented the life of oddball artist Wayne White in Beauty Is Embarrassing, focuses his attention on another creative misfit, Community creator Dan Harmon, in Harmontown.
After being fired from his own television series, Harmon took his experimental podcast series on the road to meet his adoring fans, all the while learning many painful things about himself.   The film makes no attempt to candy coat the man's boorishness, alcoholism and constant need to clash with everybody (including himself) but that's the part that makes him all the more interesting and easy to relate.  I went in expecting to dislike Harmon a bit more while still adoring his rapid-fire wit and creativity, instead I came out astonished by the emotional punches it pulled.  Fans of Harmon will most likely get the most out of this film but there's still some characteristics and moments I think everyone could learn from.

3½ human hand grenades out of 5

HORRIBLE BOSSES 2 [2014]

Nick, Dale & Kurt are back for more crimes gone hilariously wrong in the sequel to 2011's smash hit, Horrible Bosses.
This time around, the hopeless trio hatch a kidnapping scheme that quickly spirals out of control when their victim wants in on the job.  What's interesting is to see how much the chemistry of three lead's chaotic banter seems to play more like co-star Charlie Day's TV show It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, which makes for a delightful surprise not seen in the first film.  Sure the jokes are rudely moronic, outrageously offensive and questionably tasteless but with the right timing they're perfect.  If you're a fan of the first then you're almost guaranteed to enjoy this one just as much if not more.

3 permanent markers out of 5

DRINKING BUDDIES [2013]

Written & directed by Joe Swanberg, Drinking Buddies is a quiet little mumblecore drama that I found I didn't realize how well done it was until the final 4 minutes.
With the actors completely improvising their dialogue, it's wonderful to see how well it was edited and pieced together to form a slow-burning but seamless pace.   Most drivelling dramas like this would have the characters spilling their emotions out onto the floor as the lame Top 40 song plays, but here we're quite often left guessing what the characters are feeling and makes for a more intriguing story.

4 Reservoir Dogs in Casablanca out of 5

WE'RE THE MILLERS [2013]

Dodgeball writer/director Rawson Marshall Thurber brings us We're The Millers, a surprisingly enjoyable and mildly offensive comedy/road movie.
Jason Sudeikis & Jennifer Aniston are at the top of their game here, Emma Roberts is kind of boring but necessary while it's Son Of Rambow's Will Poulter that steals the entire show as the clueless, awkward kid.  There really isn't much of a story here and what little there is, it's a bit of an uneven mess but we're here for the laughs and it delivers.  By the end of the film I found how much I enjoyed each of the characters and wanted to see it inevitably all work out.

3 wincing spider bites 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

A Good Old Fashioned Orgy (2011)

A group of 30-something physically attractive friends (and one fat dude) decide to throw one last hurrah before they go off their separate ways and relive something that was missing from our generation: orgies. Kind of reminds me of the more Hollywood-ized version of Humpday (or an updated version of Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice). It's that kind of movie that gets you halfway there, but isn't kind enough to let you finish. I think that's really all that needs to be said.

2.5 uncomfortable moments in the bathroom out of 5

Horrible Bosses (2011)

Hilarious. The bosses (Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston, Colin Farrell) are standouts here. Essentially a movie about three disgruntled employees planning their murderous revenge (a la Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train), it is satisfying, perverse and very funny. I've never found Jennifer Aniston sexier than this slutty dentist role.

3.5 Motherfucker Jones's out of 5

Hall Pass (2011)

A return to form (and comedy) from the Farrelly Brothers after the atrocious effort known as "Fever Pitch." While not an instant classic like some of their earlier efforts, there are still several laugh-out-loud moments, including a scene in a locker room which I'm still not sure how got past the MPAA. As expected with movies of this sort, it is ultimately more sweet than raunchy.

3 car faps out of 5