Ever since Pixar exploded onto the scene with their game-changing animated behemoth, Toy Story, there’s one thing they have never strayed from — their integrity. It doesn’t matter whether or not audiences are blown away by their stories or are indifferent to them, John Lasseter and his team will defend their product without a second thought. The best example of this integrity was in their decision to delay The Good Dinosaur because they knew it wasn’t ready. Instead of releasing an inferior product, one they couldn’t get fully behind, they pulled it from its release date even though it caused some pundits to claim that Pixar’s magic was starting to fizzle. I’d much rather they take their time and be extremely happy with the final product than to have them shove something into the marketplace simply because that was the plan. It’s because of this integrity (as well as not shying away from the darker, more adult themes that leave grown men crying) that has kept them creatively astute. No matter what you may have thought of something like Cars 2, you can always rest assured there will always be a film like Inside Out just waiting in the wings to prove why Pixar continues to be the reigning champ for high quality entertainment that doesn’t condescend to its audience. Read Full Review

“Yeah, but John, when the Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don’t eat the tourists.” — Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), Jurassic Park

Those words come to full, glorious life in Jurassic World when a flurry of liberated pteranodons dive-bomb the patrons of the now open dinosaur theme park after they’ve all been corralled to the “main street” of the park because the new attraction decided to outsmart its human captors and run amok across Isla Nublar, the island where John Hammond originally established his original Jurassic park. And like the hundreds of guests who ooh and aah the exhibits before becoming lunch, I was engrossed by everything director Colin Trevorrow had to offer in representing Ian Malcolm’s eloquent warnings. Read Full Review

When it comes to music, the Beach Boys are one group that transcends the art form. The harmonies blended perfectly with the way the group mixed their music, creating a unique sound that made you feel as if you were out on the beach enjoying the warm sun and breezy ocean air no matter where you might be (and it never matter that they weren’t actually surfers). There is no doubt there was genius behind their creativity, and like a lot of creative geniuses, Beach Boys front man, Brian Wilson, tapped into a suppressed darkness to find the magic of his artistry (along with a little bit of drug use here and there — it was the sixties after all). Director Bill Pohlad examines this well of madness in the biopic, Love & Mercy, but in staying true to his subject, turns the formula on its head to not only explore his fall into psychosis, but his rebirth from it, interlinking them with the same tenderness the Beach Boys delivered to their fans. Read Full Review

The majority of disaster movies are a lot like your favorite processed snack food — consuming too much of them may be bad for your health, but you consume them anyway because they’re just so darn enjoyable. And like any good comfort food, similar ingredients across all different types make them rich with delightful gratification. So it is with San Andreas, which doesn’t deviate at all from the tried-and-true, genre-specific formula that has made disaster movies of the past so successful. Let’s break it down point-for-point and see how it all shakes out. Read Full Review