STARS: 3 out of 4
Directed By: Richard Linklater
Starring: Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, and Matthew McConaughey
Brief Description: Jack Black plays the titular character who is a mortician and a beloved member of a small Texas community. He is accused of killing his friend Marjorie (MacLaine) and the D.A. Danny Buck (McConaughey) has to find a way to prosecute Bernie even though everyone in the town is glad Marjorie is dead and is rooting for Bernie to be acquitted. Jack Black gives one of the best performances of 2012 in this indie black comedy.
STARS: 3 out of 4
Directed By: Michael Dowse
Starring: Seann William Scott, Liev Schreiber, and Jay Baruchel
Brief Description: Written by Jay Bauchel and Evan Goldberg, this comedy is easily the best hockey movie since Slap Shot. Seann William Scott plays Doug Glatt, a simple man with poor skating skills who ends up becoming a minor league hockey sensation because of his ability to be his team's enforcer on the ice. This movie is surprisingly sweet and it's great to see William Scott in a role that is the exact opposite of his American Pie's Stifler.
STARS: 3 out of 4
Directed By: Duncan Jones
Starring: Sam Rockwell and Kevin Spacey (voice)
Brief Description: Sam Rockwell is incredible as always as astronaut Sam Bell, a man alone on Earth's moon doing scientific tests. A mystery unfolds after Bell is in a lunar driving accident and Bell struggles to stay sane alone on the edge of the universe. Despite the limited storytelling, Rockwell given an amazing performance to keep you on the edge of your seat.
STARS: 3.5 out of 4
Directed By: Bobcat Goldthwait
Starring: Joel Murray and Tara Lynne Barr
Brief Description: You might not know this but Bobcat Goldthwait is an indie black comedy God with three movies under his belt before God Bless America. This story follows middle age man at the end of his wits Frank (Murray) and his platonic teenage female companion Roxy (Lynne Barr) as they go on a murder spree throughout America killing everyone who is deteriorating America's culture. Despite the great political stand this film takes, the film never loses sight that this is a character driven movie first and a statement movie second.
STARS: 3.5 out of 4
Directed By: Lee Toland Krieger
Starring: Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, and Elijah Wood
Brief Description: Rashida Jones gives a wonderful performance in this film that she co-wrote. Celeste (Jones) attempts to get over the break-up of her best friends and soul mate Jesse (Samberg) as well as deal with the aftermath that Jesse is having a baby with another woman. There is not a lot of plot to this joyous character-driven film as Jones and the rest of this cast carry this enchanting movie.
STARS: 3.5 out of 4
Directed By: Vincenzo Natali
Starring: Maurice Dean Witt, David Hewlett, and Nicole de Boer
Brief Description: The Godfather to the spectacular original Saw, this film follows 6 people who are trapped in this gigantic cube. You don't know how they got in there but you don't care. All that matters is watching this group attempt to navigate themselves to safety.
STARS: 3.5 out of 4
Directed By: Eli Craig
Starring: Alan Tudyk, Tyler Labine, and Katrina Bowden
Brief Description: This campy satire is a fun and entertaining twist on the teen horror genre. A group of teens go into the woods on a camping trip when they stumble upon Tucker (Tudyk) and Dale (Labine). Like the genre dictates, the kids assume these two men are evil. However, the story is seen through Tucker and Dale's eyes and as the kids attempt to "retaliate" against Tucker and Dale, the kids start to accidentally kill themselves.
STARS: 3.4 out of 4
Directed By: Luc Besson
Starring: Jean Reno, Natalie Portman, and Gary Oldman
Brief Description: Jean Reno plays a professional hitman named Leon who befriends a twelve year old girl played by Natalie Portman in her first ever movie role as they go against the film's bad guy portrayed by the amazing Gary Oldman. Action movies tend to hinge on how great the villain is and Gary Oldman who portrays Stansfield is the cream of the crop of movie villains in this character-driven popcorn flick.
STARS: 3.5 out of 4
Directed By: Steve McQueen
Starring: Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan
Brief Description: Michael Fassbender gives an Oscar-worthy performance as Brandon who is a sex addict. McQueen's poignant drama takes a realistic look at what it is like to truly be an addict. Brandon struggles with his addiction- especially when a close friend of his played by Carey Mulligan comes in to town to stay with Brandon for a few days. I can see how many people could avoid this movie as many things will stick with me for a long time- including one of the great sex scenes in movie history. However, it is because things will stick with me for a long time that I think this movie is great.
STARS: 4 out of 4
Directed By: Kirby Dick
Brief Description: Documentarian Kirby Dick attempts to infiltrate and uncover the doings of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)- the group that determines ratings for movies- to show the hypocrisy and the shady dealings of this unchecked organization. Dick also interviews filmmakers who have been unfairly treated by the MPAA. If you love films as much I do then you need to check out this amazing documentary which will open your eyes to an aspect of movies you had never even thought of before.
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