"Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" is a fun niche film (4.25/5)

Video games have been a lasting presence in my life. They’re essentially pointless, but their ability to offer me a form of catharsis in the comfort of my own home is something I truly cherish. What’s disappointing about the general public’s opinion towards video games is that they’re often considered the downfall of our youth. In some circles video games are the basis for an ever growing sedentary life for children as well as the fuel to the ADD riddled minds that now fill our schools. With my reluctance to throw any weight behind those damning words, those who already hate the notion of the kinetic nature of video games will undoubtedly hate Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

"Fair Game" is a taut political thriller (4.25/5)

Historical accounts in Hollywood tend to exist on a slippery slope. I say this because they often straddle the line between truth and artistic liberty. Of course, there should be a sense of honesty working throughout a film that claims to be based on a true story, but one should also know that a film needs to shed ounces of fact in order to craft a worthy narrative. The fact that there is fiction worked into the truth should come as no surprise, unless of course this occurs in a documentary, then one can throw a fit. Yet, a film’s merits shouldn’t entirely supersede how well it has been crafted. This particular preface brings me to the film Fair Game.

"Black Swan" is unrelenting in its pursuit of madness (4.5/5)

One of the most gut wrenching films I’ve seen has to be Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. Certainly, there were ghastly elements to it that seared my eyes, but what was so suspenseful about Kubrick’s film is that he let it exist with no bounds. From Jack Nicholson’s larger than life performance to a telepathic child, the film lived off of the preposterous. This is all initially jarring, but the level of insanity the film reaches eventually gives way to an unpredictable sense of dread. Although there have been many films that have attempted to replicate the horror found within The Shining, only a handful of them have been able to match Kubrick’s controlled descent into madness. One such film would be Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan, a sexualized thriller set in the world of ballet.

"Waiting for Superman" is a call for action (5/5)

I’ll admit it right now, I took my education for granted. When I was actually paying for my schooling in the form of tuition, I took my education very seriously, and my grades reflected that. Yet, as I look back on my high school years, I see a wasted opportunity. I was fortunate enough to have gone to a high school that featured a team of teachers who cared about my mental upbringing. To repay them back, I often wasted my time fumbling about with my social life. Don’t get me wrong, certainly there where classes where I matched my potential and excelled, but I could've done better. I should’ve done better. My regret is exacerbated further after watching the emotionally resonant documentary Waiting for Superman. Like any good documentary, Waiting for Superman first establishes its cause with great clarity: education reform. Its goal is to demonstrate the horrid state our education system is in at the moment. Director Davis Guggenheim does a terrific job of laying out the system’s current grades through relevant and depressing statistics.

"Due Date" has its moments, but often falls short (3.5/5)

Judd Apatow and his team of foul mouthed idiots has done something that for the most part has caught Hollywood by surprise. That something is the ability to seamlessly blend crass humor with sugary sentiment. For years comedies often based their premise not on developing an attachment with the characters, but more so exploiting their character’s idiosyncrasies for laughs. Of course, Apatow wasn’t the first guy to try and create a comedic film with a sense of heart, but his consistent ability to develop material that was both funny and poignant has exposed a new comedy blueprint for the studios. Now, films are constantly trying to find a balance between jokes and emotions. Some have succeeded while most have floundered around like a beached fish. Last year director Todd Phillips put out what was arguably the anti-Apatow film in The Hangover. The humor was outlandish, male inclined, and down right hilarious. All of which wasn’t supported by emotional truths or declarations of love. It was pure, unadulterated hilarity.