No Hard Feelings

• Director: Gene Stupnitsky
• Writers: Gene Stupnitsky, John Phillips
• Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Andrew Barth Feldman, Natalie Morales, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Laura Benanti, Matthew Broderick, Kyle Mooney, Hasan Minhaj, Scott MacArthur

Grade: B

You’ve seen a movie like No Hard Feelings many times before, give or take a few details here and there. The film harkens back to the heydays of 90s and early 2000’s romantic comedies where the plot rarely changes but the jokes and the performances from its leads carry it across the finish line. It’s the kind of film that Hollywood has all but stopped releasing theatrically today, a raunchy R-rated comedy that plays much better in a packed room full of strangers than at home on a streaming service.

Past Lives

• Director: Celine Song
• Writer: Celine Song
• Starring: Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, John Magaro

Grade: A-

Fate. Love. Identity. Regret. Longing. All of these ideas are familiar devices in films when filtered through certain genres. Some of the best romances, like In the Mood for Love and the Before trilogy, deal with a number of those themes while creating memorable moments and dialogue. But those films came from celebrated, seasoned veterans who had years of experience under their belts. For writer/director Celine Song, she tackles these ideas in her searing debut Past Lives, and makes it look easy. The result is one of the best films of the year so far.

Elemental

• Director: Peter Sohn
• Writers: John Hoberg, Kat Likkel, Brenda Hsueh
• Starring: Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie del Carmen, Shila Ommi, Wendy McClendon-Covey, Catherine O’Hara

Grade: B

Pixar’s best films, like Ratatouille, Up, Finding Nemo, or Inside Out, have the ability to transport audiences to new worlds, and explore thought-provoking ideas that appeal to moviegoers young and old alike. Though the venerated studio has struggled to measure up to its glory days in recent years, there have been bright spots, like Turning Red or Luca. Its newest release, Elemental, attempts a four-quadrant film by crafting an adult-minded story while filling it with bright, beautifully realized characters, but ultimately falls short in some crucial areas.

Flamin’ Hot

• Director: Eva Longoria
• Writers: Lewis Colick, Linda Yvette Chavez
• Starring: Jesse Garcia, Annie Gonzalez, Dennis Haysbert, Tony Shalhoub, Emilio Rivera, Matt Walsh

Grade: B-

2022 was the year of the miniseries and television show centered on infamous real-life grifters, ranging from the enjoyable to the forgettable. Whether it was exploring Elizabeth Holmes (The Dropout) or Anna Delvy (Inventing Anna) or Anna and Rebekah Neumann (WeCrashed) – plus an extra few that I’m likely forgetting – something compelled the television gods into telling these stories all at the same time. Now, in 2023, the focus has shifted to the true stories behind some of our most iconic brands and products. First it was Nike with Air, then Nintendo and Tetris, then BlackBerry. Naturally, the next in line would be the true story of *checks notes* the creation of the “Flamin’ Hot” varietal of Cheetos with Flamin’ Hot.