Nothing about the premise of “Pitch Perfect” suggests it should be a funny movie, or anything more than a diversion for “Glee” fans who’ve burnt out on the hit show after three-plus seasons. A cappella groups might be a change of pace for Hollywood, but college humor isn’t, with most college comedies going straight to […]

Exfiltration specialist Tony Mendez received the highest honor that can possibly be awarded in Intelligence for his work during the Iranian hostage crisis of 1979, and the man who played him and directed his story in “Argo,” Ben Affleck, will find himself quite decorated as well if he continues to make films at this quality […]

In the marketing for “Seven Psychopaths,” CBS Films wants you to count the film’s seven stars, but the one real psychopath (and I mean that in most positive and endearing way possible) that matters is writer and director Martin McDonagh, whose sophomore film and follow-up to “In Bruges” is a cockeyed stroke of genius.

Liam Neeson’s action-man renaissance in 2008’s “Taken” was a most unheralded critical and box-office hit for a seemingly generic revenge flick. Writers Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen managed to captivate audiences with a streamlined story of a retired CIA operative using his skills to locate and rescue his kidnapped daughter. It was a simple […]

“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” will be a relevant book for a long time, and consequently there’s nothing dated about Stephen Chbosky’s unique coming-of-age story now that it has finally hit the big screen so many years later. Anchored by strong performances from its leads and a powerful sense of poignancy, “Wallflower” is a […]

The rules of time travel in fiction can make your head spin. As a writer, you have to be so meticulous in your vision that all the rules of your universe don’t collapse upon each other and bring your entire concept crumbling to the ground. Or, like Rian Johnson does in “Looper,” you can be […]

Paul Thomas Anderson’s films have a tendency to take you by the shoulders and shake you rigorously, to leave you with an unforgettable scene, moment or quote (“I drink your milkshake!”, anyone?). “The Master” short-changes none of us on lasting images, but the fearless director’s long-awaited return to film after six years is less visceral; […]

Seriously, prohibition did no one any favors. “Lawless” is a Western-inspired take on the gangster pic, in which the only rules are that there are no rules and the men with the power are the men who wield the most fear — and guns.

Lots of comedies in the last year or so have focused on whether two people can be involved sexually without being involved romantically. “Celeste and Jesse Forever” asks if two people who were involved sexually can be involved platonically. Both beat the dead horse of “complicated” relationships in film, but what’s nice about “Celeste and […]

Fast cars and comedy have never really gone hand in hand. Movies such as the “Fast and Furious” franchise have always been about the cars, with the jokes mostly sticking to characters digging at each other and one-liners. “Hit and Run,” on the other hand, is all about the humor — with a side of […]

You’d think putting together an action ensemble of some of the best muscle-bound men to ever grace the silver screen warrants an effort that goes beyond casting, but that’s not what we got in 2010’s “The Expendables.” The healthy dose of blood spatter and explosions certainly whetted action fans’ appetites, but the film ultimately fell […]

The political campaign system in America has done a good enough job making a joke of itself that “The Campaign” as an idea for a comedy either seems redundant — or perfect. With contemporary comedy staple Will Ferrell going toe-to-toe for the first time with fast-rising star Zach Galifianakis, there is no cap on the […]

After “The Bourne Ultimatum” became the most successful and critically praised film of a trilogy considered the consummate modern spy series, it was only a matter of time before the saga continued. With that film’s director, Paul Greengrass, interested in pursuing other projects, and star Matt Damon uninterested in returning without Greengrass, Universal has been […]

The story of an author incidentally bringing one of his characters to life can go a lot of different directions. There’s an inherent fantasy element, an obvious comedy angle, and in the case of “Ruby Sparks,” some dramatic potential as well. Actress Zoe Kazan’s screenwriting debut tries to touch on all three.

“Total Recall” came out in 1990, and as with any remake — especially of a film not even 25 years old — it will beg the question of why Hollywood sees it fit to (fittingly) implant memories of a new one in our brain.