Why We’re Comparing “Edge of Tomorrow” to the Wrong Bill Murray Movie

In their reviews for Edge of Tomorrow, most critics took the low-hanging fruit and compared it to the classic Ramis-Murray comedy Groundhog Day. It’s easy to see why. Each film features a protagonist who is forced to relive the same (bad) day over and over again until he figures out how to become a better…

Summer Comes Early with “Oblivion”

Is it too much to expect originality from a summer blockbuster these days? At this point in our era of poll-testing and demographics-driven production, we should accept this simple fact: no studio is going to spend $120 million, the cost of the new sci-fi blockbuster Oblivion, on an idea that has not already been demonstrated…

Why the Homoeroticism in “Top Gun” Matters

When I told my friends I was going to see Top Gun during its brief 3D theatrical re-release (which ends this week), nobody was particularly impressed. When I mentioned that I had never seen it before, their eyes widened, and each put forth some variation of the same question: “How is that possible?” The film…

“Gangster Squad” and Why Winter is the New Summer

In the wake of the shootings last year in Aurora and Newtown, movie violence is under heavier scrutiny than we have seen in years. Many pundits and elected officials have raised the issue as a potential part of the problem of gun violence, but due to Wayne LaPierre’s polarizing press conference, it seems less likely…

Tom Cruise is “Jack Reacher”

Do not bother to care about Jack Reacher because he doesn’t care about you. This is not the modern-day action hero; the Jason Bourne, the Bruce Wayne, even the Iron Man. Reacher is not here to protect you, and he is not looking for redemption. Reacher is here to punish the bad guys, and he…