"Bridesmaids" is a terrific comedy (4.5/5)

For the last few months, I’ve held the idea that Kristin Wiig was an over exposed talent on the fledgling Saturday Night Live. I have always proclaimed my love for Wiig and her abilities, but with clueless writing and characters being driven into the ground, Wiig seemed like a caged bird more than a woman on the cusp of stardom. Thankfully Wiig’s abilities were given room to breathe with her own comedic vehicle, Bridesmaids. Co-written by Wiig and directed by TV stalwart Paul Feig, Bridemaids is the female answer to the likes of The Hangover and Knocked Up. Even though the film has a concrete female perspective, something that has been drastically missing from not only comedies, but also the film world, it still maintains a level of raunch and hilarity that surpasses its male driven comedic counterparts.

"Thor" is fun, but nothing truly memorable (3.75/5)

In the pantheon of comic book heroes, Thor is likely the one hero that the mainstream populous fails to recognize. With no distinguishable story line or villain that has penetrated pop-culture, the chances of Thor succeeding as its own film, and not merely excelling as Marvel’s attempt at setting up the Avenger’s movie, seemed slim.  Surprisingly, through the charming performance of Chris Hemsworth and the direction of the Shakespeare loving Kenneth Branagh, Thor is a film that stands on its own merits, albeit on a shaky ground.

"Jane Eyre" is beautifully shot and acted (5/5)

I usually feel inadequate when I openly admit that the literary world continuously passes me by. This issue is exacerbated further when a decent amount of people around me are devout readers. But I’ve always been a visual person and picking up a book and reading isn’t nearly rewarding as taking in the visual feasts the film world has to offer. Despite my lack of interest in reading, I feel it also favors me when it comes to judging book to film adaptations. Often when it comes to adaptations, people take the film’s source material verbatim and feel a sting of disappointment when the film fails to capture every aspect of their beloved book. With these preconceived notions, a film is overlooked in favor of what it could’ve been or what should’ve been as dictated by the viewer. Not that this is always case, but my lack of literary prowess allows me to enter into a film like Jane Eyre with no expectations.

"Win Win" is duh, winning (4.5/5)

Thomas McCarthy’s latest film will most likely be categorized as a sports film simply because part of its plot revolves around high school wrestling. High school wrestling certainly serves a purpose in this film, especially when looked at from a thematic point, but it is merely a backdrop to a humanistic drama that is hilariously uplifting. McCarthy’s previous film, The Visitor, touchingly covered an array of topics such as human generosity, loneliness, and the burden of being an immigrant in a time where immigrants are seen as a threat to the American way. Handling such dramatic issues with a deft comedic hand, McCarthy demonstrated his value to the world of film. That value is further cemented in Win Win, another humanistic tale that veers onto a path we’ve been down before, but there’s a dense amount of emotion and humor that makes the flora surrounding this familiar road feel fresh and new.

"The Green Hornet" is a disappointment (3/5)

I admire Seth Rogen’s attempt to hand the superhero genre a face lift. Through The Green Hornet, Rogen was given free rein to breathe new life into a project that had been gestating in the stomach of Hollywood for well over a decade. One could certainly see Rogen’s ambition on display. He not only took on the lead role of Britt Reid (aka The Green Hornet), a raucous party boy who is in line to receive his father’s massive newspaper fortune, but he also wrote the screenplay with his writing partner Evan Goldberg. Goldberg and Rogen were able to construct a screenplay that alters comic-book conventions to a degree. The alterations are not overwhelming by any stretch of the imagination, but the seeds of change are planted and recognized. Yet, what the screenplay fails to do is give the film’s characters proper motivation to propel themselves into the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles.