I have always been interested in exploring existential ideas and philosophies, to believe in something that we’re far too primitive to understand as a species and trying to wrap my head around the magnitude of it all. I’ve even gone as far as writing about it in some of my own work, even if I may only be scratching the surface of the knowledge and the abilities that could be available if we understood just one fraction of the code that makes up the universe, including how it relates to God and other higher powers. So when I first saw the trailer for Lucy, you can imagine how excited I was, not only to see what Luc Besson (a writer and director who can be very hit or miss, but whose work I do tend to enjoy) would convey through the idea of being able to tap into the full capacity of our brains, but also to see if Scarlett Johansson could lead an action film on her own merits, without the need of a band of super heroes. Suffice it to say, I was a little underwhelmed by the finished product. Don’t Stop — There’s Plenty More

The concept for last year’s The Purge was one of the more interesting and thought-provoking ideas of the year: what if our government officials attempted to reduce crime rates by making all crime legal for one twelve hour period each year. With its frightening overtones and star Ethan Hawke, it became a breakout hit — for all of the wrong reasons. What everyone was flocking to theaters to see (the dramatic exploration of what it would be like during this specific period of time and the subtle social commentary that would come along with it) was reduced to an arbitrary, paint-by-numbers home invasion story with no genuine thrills (or chills). It didn’t matter to the studio; the film made over ten times what it cost to make on opening weekend. A sequel was announced that following Monday to capitalize on the popularity, ultimately giving us The Purge: Anarchy, which, as a lot of people have pointed out, does what the isolation of the first film failed to do by focusing on the true terror of the purge. Don’t Stop — There’s Plenty More

It happens quite often: a high-level executive in the entertainment industry stumbles upon a performance or a piece of work of an artist that sparks a high-level of interest. The executive sees something they can sell, or finds the artist to be fresh, innovative and honest in what they do. The executive believes that with a little promotion, they can turn a small, cult following into a world-wide phenomenon. They talk a good game and convince the artist of they have potential for fame and fortune as well as retaining a good amount of creative control. But the moment they sign, the artist must conform to standards completely opposite from what got them noticed in the first place, simply to fit the box the executive believes the artist need to be in. This is the basis for Begin Again, a film that does a terrific job examining the concept of reconnecting to one’s artistic integrity in a world that is so complacent with conformity. Don’t Stop — There’s Plenty More

When you look at the most successful road trip movies, there’s always a clear destination in mind. On one level, it’s all about the physical destination — that elusive goal for which the protagonist will do anything to reach, no matter how many mishaps, challenges or detours they’re forced to take to get there. On a deeper level, road trip movies are about relationships — those bonds we form when we’re forced to spend time with someone we might not otherwise have hung out with. These relationships also carry with them a destination, a place of understanding and respect that the characters find in one another that they may not have seen prior to setting out on their journey. Without one or the other, you might get a brazenly fun ride-along (such as National Lampoon’s Vacation), or an emotionally sensitive story (like Dutch), but without either, you end up with a film like Tammy, a road trip movie without any type of destination. Don’t Stop — There’s Plenty More