One Crazy Summer (1986)

Savage Steve Holland's follow-up to Better Off Dead had similar quirky comic sensibilities, but leans a bit too far in the direction of absurdity to thoroughly recommend. Regardless, I still choose to revisit it often because there are just enough memorable scenes that make me laugh. The plot is entirely secondary here; it's just a series of oddball misadventures set on the island of Nantucket.

2½ Godzilla suits out of 5

Merry Good Enough (2023)

Every year, I search for the ultimate anti-Christmas movie and my hopes are always dashed. Aside from horror, there are always happy endings, and even the most subversive films seem to embrace the holiday spirit by the end.

After feeling unappreciated by her dysfunctional family, the mother to three grown children disappears on Christmas. There's a lot of dark potential to mine in this indie dramedy, but it never quite goes far enough. Close, but no cigar.

2½ objects left on the roof of the car out of 5