In the same vein as 2007’s “Juno” and 2011’s “Young Adult,” “Tully” unearths uncomfortable truths in a wry, wise way. The latest collaboration between director Jason Reitman and writer Diablo Cody features Cody’s hyper-verbal brand of snark, cynicism and subtle poignancy, but it’s tinged with the wistful perspective that comes...
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Reviews
RogerEbert.com — Mrs. Hyde
A timid high school physics teacher gets zapped by lightning in a freak lab accident. When she comes to, she finds she has acquired strange new abilities and a burst of confidence that allow her to seize control of her life like never before. It’s the stuff of a 1980s high-concept,...
Read moreChristy by Request — Local Hero
Don’t let the title fool you: There’s nothing remotely heroic or even vaguely dramatic about “Local Hero.” And that’s what makes it so charming. Writer-director Bill Forsyth’s 1983 film sneaks up on you. It takes its time. It reveals its characters through snippets of conversation and casual interactions. It’s the...
Read moreRogerEbert.com — I Feel Pretty
I have mixed feelings about “I Feel Pretty,” a high-concept, modern-day fairy tale. Amy Schumer stars as an insecure woman who suffers a head injury and believes she’s been magically transformed into the gorgeous bombshell she’s always dreamed of becoming — even though she’s unchanged on the outside. It’s a lot...
Read moreChristy by Request — After Hours
“After Hours” is a decidedly un-Scorseseish Martin Scorsese film: a light, goofy and surreal comedy with no real stakes. And yet all that brilliant craft is on display, the muscular cinematic energy, the taste for danger and the vivid sense of place within New York City that’s so often his...
Read moreWine the Flick?! — Blockers
It’s as high-concept as high-concept comedies get: Three parents try to stop their daughters from losing their virginity on prom night. The extremely R-rated “Blockers” already sounded fun, but I knew it would be even better with my dear friend and fellow mom, veteran actress Gina Torrecilla, by my side....
Read moreChristy by Request — Newsies
“Newsies” was not exactly a massive hit when it came out in April 1992. It made only about $2.8 million at the box office and currently stands at a meager 39 percent on the Tomatometer. But something has happened over the years since then — a change of heart through...
Read moreRogerEbert.com — The Female Brain
Whitney Cummings tries to breathe new life into the tired, men-are-like-this, women-are-like-this style of romantic comedy both in front of and behind the camera with “The Female Brain.” But the stand-up comedian’s feature filmmaking debut is frustratingly hit-and-miss. My mixed review, at RogerEbert.com. Read the review here...
Read moreRogerEbert.com — Paddington 2
“Paddington 2” is completely charming and exactly what we need right now. And it proves that the wonderful, original “Paddington” was no fluke three years ago. Maybe it’s not the revelation that the first film was, but its central message of being kind to others, even during the most troubling...
Read moreRogerEbert.com — Pitch Perfect 3
“Pitch Perfect 3” supposedly is the final film in the wildly successful series about the musical misadventures of the Barden Bellas. Lots of overlong, tearful group hugs after the final a cappella song make that clear. But we really didn’t need a second “Pitch Perfect” movie, much less a third...
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