Movies starring Topher

At first glance, it might appear that Irresistible is going to be just another political comedy generated by progressive-leaning filmmakers to salve the still-stinging wounds left by the 2016 election. However, for those expecting a hatchet-jo...

Over the past two decades, horror movies have increasingly gravitated toward jump-scare experiences: stories more interested in delivering sudden shocks than developing suspense through mood and atmosphere. This dumbing down of horror, which h...

One hallmark of great cinema is that, even when the story is tragic, a viewer can leave the theater both reflective and satisfied. Jude, Michael Winterbottom's ambitious, big-screen adaptation of Thomas Hardy's heartbreaking classic, Jude the ...

The process of transforming beloved animated classics into live-action versions has become a modern cottage industry. This self-cannibalization has included titles like Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and now The Jungle Book (with Beauty and...

We have entered the world of post-modern superheroes, where the concept of someone with special powers doing battle against the forces of evil seems quaint, almost boring. Batman is The Dark Knight. Superman is on hiatus because the most interest...

The summer blockbuster season of 2013 is over, so what do we get as we move into the dog days of August? Yet another superhero movie. If there was ever any question about their ubiquitous multiplex presence, this answers it. A sequel to the breath-...

I hope Jamie Kennedy has a huge fan base because I can't see anyone else paying hard-earned money to sit through this. Perhaps my expectations are too high, but when I go to see something billed as a "comedy," I don't expect to have to wait until ...

There are reasons why Hollywood rarely backs a murder mystery.  With its various narrative complexities, double dealings, and mandatory twists, the genre is generally unsuited for the constrictions demanded by a two-hour timeslot. As the PBS ...

Entries into the so-called “Sony Spider-Man Universe” continue to disappoint. Even the best of these has not been very good and Kraven the Hunter is far from the best (it’s not the worst either, though). For those looking for silver linings,...

Although this may amount to oversimplification, Alejandro Agresti's The Lake House is essentially a romance between two people connected by a time-traveling mailbox. As premises go, this has the virtue of uniqueness - Hollywood doesn't churn out t...