Cocaine Bear (2023)

What's scarier than a bear on the loose? One that stumbles upon a cache of cocaine, with the usual predictable results. This one was a whole lot of fun, full of mid-'80s vibes and some pretty brutal kills. It's very dumb at times, but passable for this kind of raucous horror-comedy. I just didn't want it to end.

Inspired a whole host of "animals on drugs" direct-to-streaming B-garbage (including Meth Gators and Crackcoons), but this one was the first and best.

3 kilos out of 5

WILSON [2017]

Based on director Craig Johnson's previous cynically sweet films I think it's safe to say he's the perfect candidate to adapt Daniel Clowes' Wilson graphic novel to the screen.
Woody Harrelson is great as the overly-honest misanthropic title character who finds out he's the father to a teenage girl after he reunites with his troubled ex-wife, played with graceful skill by Laura Dern.
If not for the charms of it's leading actors it'd be a lot more difficult to enjoy spending time with unpleasant folks like these.  Unfortunately the film seems to wander around aimlessly and never makes the emotional impact it seems to strive for.  Some moments are drawn out for too long and some are far too rushed to allow it's sentiment to really sink in.

3 epiphanies at the urinal out of 5

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY [2013]

John Wells adapts Tracy Letts' dysfunctional family stageplay August: Osage County for the screen with a most impressive cast ensemble.
It's Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts who do most of the heavy lifting but it's hard to find a weak link in the bunch as each actor brings tragic dedication to their own role.  While there are some wickedly funny bits of dialogue throughout the film, I found this to be one of the saddest films of the year with it's story about a family falling to pieces after a funeral.  Each character gets their own introduction and since there are so many you start to wonder where it's all going after awhile until the middle of the film when it kicks into high gear.  With the addition of some painfully awkward and uncomfortably funny scenes, I'd watch it all over again just to pick each individual performance because there's so damned much going on at once.

4 catfish out of 5