Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (2016)

Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (2016)

[7] If you're a fan of the ill-mannered British TV show, you'll probably enjoy Eddy and Patsy's first big bloody screen adventure. Me? I think it's one of the funniest TV shows EVER made, so I drove two hours to the nearest theater…
Suicide Squad (2016)

Suicide Squad (2016)

[6] While there are signs that Suicide Squad is a film rushed to completion and feels at times torn in different creative directions (sources report the studio made extensive revisions after the lukewarm reception of Batman vs Superman), the end product isn't…
They Died with Their Boots On (1941)

They Died with Their Boots On (1941)

[7] Errol Flynn plays General George Custer in this romantic (though not very historically accurate) panache of the accomplished Civil War general who met a celebrated fate at Little Big Horn. Despite the liberties taken in the script, it's a fun mini-epic…
Fantasia 2000 (1999)

Fantasia 2000 (1999)

[6] Breakthroughs in technology make the aural component of this sequel superior to the first, while advances in computer-generated imagery often leave Fantasia 2000 feeling cold and clunky. I like the abstract butterfly battle set to Beethoven's 5th and the Al Hirschfeld…
Super 8 (2011)

Super 8 (2011)

[6] J.J. Abrams' comprehensive homage to Spielberg's early career is a decent spooky kids' adventure movie. It does a good job stirring nostalgia among 30-somethings like myself. It's not as mysterious or suspenseful as one might expect from Abrams, the creator of…
Troy (2004)

Troy (2004)

[6] Brad Pitt simply isn't very convincing outside his own time and place. This limitation was used to intentional comedic effect in Inglourious Basterds, and to unintentional effect in Troy. It doesn't help that his character isn't the most interesting -- that…
Rocky Mountain (1950)

Rocky Mountain (1950)

[7] In one of his better westerns, Errol Flynn leads a ragtag team of Confederate soldiers west to do Robert E. Lee's bidding. Along the way, he rescues a damsel in distress from marauding Indians, only to learn she's betrothed to a…
Drive (2011)

Drive (2011)

[8] Ryan Gosling channels his inner Eastwood in this stylish thriller about a Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver. The combination of Hossein Amini's emotionally restrained script and Nicolas Winding Refn's visceral direction are a winning combination, boosted tremendously by…
Hanna (2011)

Hanna (2011)

[7] Saoirse Ronan (The Lovely Bones) stars as a mysterious teenager raised in the wilderness by her ex-CIA father (Eric Bana) to be a lethal killing machine. Director Joe Wright steps out of his comfort zone (his previous films include Atonement and…
The Avengers (2012)

The Avengers (2012)

[7] Director Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Serenity) does a better job than most others in the past ten years bringing a superhero franchise to the big screen. What makes The Avengers work are character and humor, the elements from which…