Tom Stoppard’s “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead” is a brilliant existential twist on a classic story (Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”) and classic storytelling. It’s sharp, witty, well-acted and thought-provoking in any number of ways, being both memorably absurd and surprisingly truthful.

There is nothing one can do to prepare for the homo-erotic ridiculousness of “Bruno.” The boundaries of R-rated comedy have been pushed and pushed over the last ten years and “Bruno” is the point on the scale in which we realize just how far we’ve gone. The shock value of deeply committed character actor Sacha […]

Let’s be real, nobody actually wants to be 17 again, but it makes for decent comedy. “17 Again” borrows on that classic age reversal concept as made famous by “Big,” “Freaky Friday,” and “13 Going on 30” only it’s aimed at guys. I know, hard to believe that’s who would like this movie most, especially […]

High school is vicious, everyone knows that. And although stereotypes have run high school movies ragged, there’s still a ring of truth to them even when they’re blown out of proportion. In this regard, “Heathers” stands apart. This ’80s cult favorite black comedy is the counter-culture version of the high school flick, the very definition […]

“Short Circuit” is one of those rare ’80s comedies that knows what it is. It delights in its tackiness, awkward jokes and poking fun at both the “tech movement” and Cold War dramas. It never gives off the sense that it’s trying to be something it’s not, staying fresh, funny and even laughing at itself. […]

The Coen brothers have developed critical acclaim for making black comedies/awkward tragedies that depict small-time people getting in way over their heads, who for one reason or another are motivated to do things out of the ordinary because the natural order of the world and society has wronged them in some way. “A Serious Man,” […]

I love the older movies coming to Blu-ray these days. Honestly, I think there are two special effects shots in this entire movie. Even so, are paper cut-outs going to look that much better in high-def? Whatevs, it was an excuse to post this. There’s one problem with television: You can’t say &#*%, or $@&%, […]

What’s most admirable about this most recent zombie-crushing comedy is that it knows exactly what zombies are meant for: killing. Funny, creative and most of all low-budget killing. Rookie director Ruben Fleischer and Columbia Pictures capture that essence in the quick but fun “Zombieland,” a post-Zombie infection apocalypse action comedy with a small cast and […]

If any of the kids in “The Bad News Bears” were your child, or if you had any acquaintance with a youth sports coach even remotely like Morris Buttermaker, you’d be outraged and embarrassed. At the same time, the film delivers a message that all involved with youth sports probably couldn’t hear enough of. In […]

Audiences don’t like to be lied to, but that’s all part of the fun of “The Informant!,” Steven Soderbergh’s best recent directorial effort that hasn’t been titled with a number between 11 and 13. The film sweeps us into a world of corporate crime and “espionage” and flavors it all with a thorough peppering of […]

The mobster flick mixes with show business in “Get Shorty,” the mob comedy from “The Addams Family” director Barry Sonnenfeld. The two (mob movies and Hollywood) have always gotten along well together from “The Godfather” to “Goodfellas,” so “Get Shorty” taking the humorous business angle is only a natural evolution. Starring John Travolta hot off […]

An easy way to measure how much you will or won’t enjoy “Fanboys” is how closely you fit to the titular category. The more of a Star Wars fan you are and the more your gender and maturity is on par with ‘boy,’ the more you’ll like this ode to Star Wars fans. The premise […]

“Extract” is not one of those tour-de-force comedies that knocks you on the floor with laughter, then again, that wasn’t exactly the case in Mike Judge’s previous cult hit “Office Space,” a film so in its own category that “Extract” will inevitably be — pardon the pun — judged by comparison. In the mold of […]

The first thing to know about “Adventureland” is that although it was directed and written by Greg Mottola (“Superbad”) and it has Bill Hader in it, it is in know way in the mainstream vein of Judd Apatow-brand comedies. It’s not outrageously dirty or over-the-top hysterical ever. It prides itself on humor through character and […]

Sometimes the most genius films are the ones that draw the most criticism. “Burn After Reading” may never reach the elite of IMDb top 250 and confuse and bother a lot of viewers, but if that’s you, then you simply have yet to watch enough Coen brothers films to understand and appreciate the deep intelligence […]