21 Jump Street Marks 10th Anniversary

21 Jump Street, the live-action directorial debut of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, marks ten years since its 2012 theatrical release. The film premiered ten years ago at SXSW. I mean, it’s SXSW. If you want to launch a comedy in the spring, you must premiere at SXSW. Neighbors. Blockers. Long Shot. Booksmart. The list goes on and on. Austin offers one of the best experiences by far. SXSW is my favorite film festival because…

"21 Jump Street Marks 10th Anniversary"

The Afterparty: One Of The Best New Comedy Series

Launching on January 28 with its first three episodes, The Afterparty is one of the best new comedy series to arrive this year. My interest is automatically piqued whenever I hear that Phil Lord and Chris Miller are attached to a new project. Knowing their previous work, it also comes with an incredibly high bar of expectations. This comedy series is no exception especially with the talented cast. What I love about it isn’t just…

"The Afterparty: One Of The Best New Comedy Series"

Neighbors: Comedy Remains A Laugh Riot

Neighbors, which pits a married couple against a frat house, remains a laugh riot some seven years following its SXSW premiere in 2014. Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly Radner (Rose Byrne) are in the early stages of adjusting to parenthood. They have an infant daughter, Stella, so they can’t party with Jimmy Blevins (Ike Barinholtz) and his ex-wife, Paula (Carla Gallo), like they used to. Oh, the good old days! Mac and Kelly soon get…

"Neighbors: Comedy Remains A Laugh Riot"

If Beale Street Could Talk is Beautifully Directed

Beautifully directed, If Beale Street Could Talk is able to raise the bar on what we come to expect from writer-director Barry Jenkins. If you didn’t notice it with Moonlight, Barry Jenkins has a way with telling a story on camera.  If Beale Street Could Talk further enhances his work as a storyteller.  Jenkins puts so much care into the film even if it’s James Baldwin’s words that he adapts on screen.  We especially see…

"If Beale Street Could Talk is Beautifully Directed"

6 Balloons: A Sincere Addiction Drama

6 Balloons is a film that shows what a sibling is willing to give up in order to save the other sibling. Abbi Jacobson and Dave Franco star as a pair of siblings, Katie and Seth.  The latter of which has a two-year-old daughter, Ella, and is being sent off to detox yet again for his heroine problem.  It’s July and when she could be doing anything else, she’s driving him around Los Angeles with…

"6 Balloons: A Sincere Addiction Drama"

The Little Hours: One of The Most Hysterical Films of 2017

The Little Hours returned to Chicago two months after its appearance in the Chicago Critics Film Festival and is one of the funniest movies of the year.  Writer/Director Jeff Baena and star Aubrey Plaza were on hand for a Q&A session at two of screenings this weekend. Written for the screen and directed by Baena, the film stars Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Kate Micucci, Aubrey Plaza, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Fred Armisen, Jemima Kirke,…

"The Little Hours: One of The Most Hysterical Films of 2017"