Kali Tuttle

A lot of Stanley Kubrick’s films deal with the concept of war. Whether it’s a real war like the Vietnam War in Full Metal Jacket or an imagined one like the nuclear war in Dr. Strangelove Or: How …

One of the hills I will die on in this life is that the Muppets deserve more appreciation. They are hilarious, heartwarming friends that brighten the screen. They are the only puppets that I’m cool …

I love the concept of The Butterfly Effect. The idea that even the smallest of our actions can affect our futures greatly is fascinating. This film could have explored this idea in a cinematic way, but instead, …

Girl With a Pearl Earring is the story of the painting of the same name. It takes place in the 1660s in the Netherlands, a far cry from the Mountain West of the US. Of course, …

Out of the Furnace is just one of the movies where Woody Harrelson is scary as hell. It’s hard to believe that this intimidating man got his start as the dimwitted bartender Woody in Cheers.  Then again, …

A lot of people get bored watching old films. They complain that they just don’t have the daring stunts and visuals of today’s films. While that can be true of many older films, The Lucky …

While Mrs. Doubtfire isn’t in my mother’s top ten favorite movies, she has always loved this movie. She tells me that she loves that Daniel (Robin Williams) and Miranda (Sally Field) don’t get back together in the …

The Sting reminds me of Ocean’s Eleven. Surely, The Sting was a major influence on Soderbergh’s caper. It has the same cool guy vibes and deception that make it so exciting. Not only do our main characters trick …

It’s been two years since DMX (AKA Earl Simmons) died, but his legacy lives on. In addition to some of the most hardcore rap songs, he also acted in several movies and TV shows. Surprisingly, …

I hate the ocean with a passion. I can’t swim and so it terrifies me to be on or anywhere near a body of water that I can’t save myself from. The biggest body of …

After acting in Star Wars, Hayden Christensen never really broke out of that mold. Outside of the space adventures, most people would be hard-pressed to name another Hayden Christensen movie. May I present to you Shattered Glass, an example …

Rumble Fish is based on the S.E. Hinton novel of the same name. Like S.E. Hinton’s other novel The Outsiders, it also focuses on young men in gangs and the relationships they build at a pivotal time in …

A super-cop is resurrected to fight a growing threat in a futuristic society. Here’s the question: am I talking about Demolition Man or Robocop? Trick question: I’m talking about both of them today. Both are ridiculously fun …

Pieces is a gory, ridiculous horror movie from 1983. We don’t really get to know any of the characters well enough to care about them. The plot is all over the place. However, the kills and …

It’s hard not to sympathize with Hugh Jackman’s character in Prisoners. He’s a devoted father who just lost his young daughter. There’s no trace of her anywhere and the one suspect in custody isn’t talking. It’s enough …

Rounders is about a poker genius, Mike McDermott (Matt Damon), on a mission to regain the money he lost to Russian gangster, Teddy “KGB” (John Malkovich). The games are all about subtlety and attention to detail. …

Ain’t Them Bodies Saints tries hard to be a good historical crime drama, but falls flat trying to hit all the right plot points. It had romance, tension, forbidden love, crime, guns, and an attractive young couple …

You’ll never feel more confused about a hero than you will about the Stranger of High Plains Drifter. He’s a vile man who rapes women, kills men, and sneers at everyone he sees. He’d be the villain …

The Fugitive is a phenomenal action film starring Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones. It follows Dr. Richard Kimble (Ford), who has been falsely accused of murdering his wife. After escaping from prison in a freak …

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was supposedly so bad that Sean Connery retired after making it. After watching it, I can’t blame him. It’s a ridiculous adventure with no real stakes and it was over before …

For a film made in 1943, For Whom the Bell Tolls is relatively progressive in how it treats its film characters. However, the sexism of the time period still leaks into the story. Even though our main …

28 Days Later shows the zombie apocalypse is all about survival. You need to have food, shelter, and weapons. You also need painkillers, sedatives/sleeping pills, food you don’t have to cook, and gasoline, among other …

The Great Escape is based on the 1950 novel of the same name, which is based on true events. Of course, every historical movie based on a true story takes its creative liberties for cinematic …

George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez have a lot of movies in the running for hottest ever made, but Out of Sight beats them all. Never has a movie been sexier. The cast is extremely attractive — everyone …

Only God Forgives reminds me of a teenager who gets really into poetry and thinks they’re really deep but in reality are the most annoying person to be around. Nicolas Winding Refn was really going for …

Hud stars Paul Newman as the drunken, bawdy son of a cattle rancher. His nephew, Lonnie (Brandon deWilde), learns a lot about what kind of man he wants to be and doesn’t want to be from …

Last Action Hero is a movie within a movie. Our main character, Danny Madigan (Austin O’Brien), is a big action movie fan and sees all the new Jack Slater (Arnold Schwarzenegger) films that come out. He …

As much as the internet tries to convince me that Nicolas Cage is a good actor in an ironic way, his filmography shows his true talent. Valley Girl was an early indicator of the kind of exciting …

If you didn’t know before you sat down to watch Fear and Desire, you would probably never guess that it was a Stanley Kubrick film. It doesn’t have the same trademarks that some of his later films …

Derek Cianfrance weaves an intricate tale with The Place Beyond the Pines. The story follows how the crime of one person can ring throughout a family through generations. Luke (Ryan Gosling) commits a crime that Avery (Bradley …