2006 / Jay Chandrasekhar > After their hilarious misadventures in Super Troopers, I’ve come to expect a decent amount from the troupe at Broken Lizard. And while Beerfest is only a slight step above the somewhat misguided slashfest Club Dread, it still delivers on the basics of what it promises: beer, breasts and (male) bonding. What it lacks compared to its cops-brethren is a formidable opponent, without which a comedy of this styling can fall pretty flat. So, while Beerfest has the necessary ingredients for success, its mentally-diminutive German foes keep the film from holding its liquor until the very end.

2006 / Tony Scott > For a film that deals with folding the time-space continuum, there is great irony in its predictability. But there is credit to be given to Tony Scott for getting off the speed and rejoining the human race after the dismal Domino. The sober and tactical directing of Man on Fire is nearly back, but with an unusual dose of science fiction thrown in. More specifically, the Hummer on the highway is arguably one of the finest science fiction/action sequences ever put on film. If only that level of imagination were present throughout, it would have been a considerably more memorable adventure, plot holes or not.

2006 / Peyton Reed > Both Hollywood and the independent film market have generally been a little less than successful in dissecting relationships without pretension. Recent ventures Closer, Prime and the Korean Rules of Dating have been considerably more successful by taking a more mature perspective. While a valiant effort in the same vein, the problem with The Break-Up is its failure in keeping a straight face by delving into cheap laughs. Maybe this is an issue with the casting of Vince Vaughn, whose nature is befitting of such humor, but unfortunately it creates a lack of focus that slows the film down. Not only is the humor often forced, but the film also becomes predictable in its obstacles. The idea is there, the overall execution is good but some of the meat, in the end, is quite rotten and should be excised.

1957 / Sidney Lumet > An incredible cast led by the late Henry Fonda is undoubtedly the best reason to watch the original 12 Angry Men, a film that may feel outdated on the basis of its arguments. Similar to Rififi, it’s interesting to see screenwriter Reginald Rose’s systematic dissection of a jury’s decision-making process in the days before television shows like CSI and Law & Order. The point is not the final answer, but rather how things come to be. But for 12 Angry Men, it just feels a little too easy. It’s almost successful, conversely, as a tightly packed social commentary under the veil of a drama, but feels like it misses its target due to a storyline that seems contrived for the protagonist’s obvious benefit.