We are all fans of Paul Thomas Anderson around here, but none of us really dug his hazy, druggy, comic noir. Maybe it requires another viewing to appreciate it fully, but I just can’t bring myself to endure this slog once more....
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What the Flick?! — Exodus: Gods and Kings
Yet another opportunity to discuss how terrible Ridley Scott’s biblical epic is....
Read moreWhat the Flick?! — Top Five
We all really enjoyed the shockingly great “Top Five,” the best film Chris Rock has made yet. The spirit, wit and bite of Rock’s standup work really shines through here....
Read moreWhat the Flick?! — Golden Globe Nominations
The boys and I have some thoughts on Thursday morning’s Golden Globe nominations. It’s a lot of the usual suspects, but there also were some snubs and surprises....
Read moreWhat the Flick?! — The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1
The first half of the film adaptation of the third book in “The Hunger Games” trilogy feels like a stretched-out placeholder for the real finale. Jennifer Lawrence is strong as always, though, as Katniss, who’s now the reluctant symbol of hope for the revolution....
Read moreWhat the Flick?! — Beyond the Lights
Gugu Mbatha-Raw gives a powerhouse performance as a Rihanna-esque R&B singer on the brink of superstardom, and she has insane chemistry with Nate Parker as the member of her security detail with whom she falls in love. Writer-director Gina Prince-Bythewood’s film has its melodramatic moments, but Parker and Mbatha-Raw bring...
Read moreWhat the Flick?! — Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas
“Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas” — or as I like to think of it, “Tyler Perry’s Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas” — is a holiday comedy for Christian audiences that’s hilarious in its ineptitude. Seriously, how did this get released? It’s “The Room” of Christmas movies. Alonso and I had a good...
Read moreWhat the Flick?! — Remembering Mike Nichols
Matt, Alonso and I look back at the staggeringly diverse and consistently sharp career of Mike Nichols, who died this week at age 83. It’s hard to think of another director working today who matches his depth and range, and who draws such inspired work from established actors....
Read moreWhat the Flick?! — The Theory of Everything
So good to be back with my friends talking movies after a couple of weeks away. One of the biggies during this busy week is the Stephen Hawking biopic “The Theory of Everything,” which features strong performances but overall is frustratingly conventional....
Read moreWhat the Flick?! — Big Hero 6
“Big Hero 6” is lively and lovely and all kinds of adorable. Not groundbreaking, necessarily, but enjoyable, with themes of friendship and teamwork as well as a dark streak. I actually liked “Feast,” the short that plays beforehand, way better....
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