If American comedy features its greatest Presidents falling from the sky, perhaps we don’t deserve leaders like Lincoln (Rotten TomatoesMetacritic).

“The phenomenal Daniel Day-Lewis plays Lincoln with immersive, indelible power in Spielberg’s brilliant, brawling epic.” Peter Travers Rolling Stone

Phenomenal, brilliant, brawling, immersive, and indelible. At some point, the term ‘epic’ should refer to the number of compliments packed into one sentence.

“Without question, the greatest film ever made about the American legislative process.” Stephen Silver EntertainmentTell

If we have questions, do we have to follow Robert’s rules of parliamentary procedure?

“It’s pretty incredible that Steven Spielberg got the real Abraham Lincoln to play himself.” Matt Pais RedEye

Academy award winner – best zombie

“The motivating force of Lincoln belongs to its leading man, whose screen presence is a wonder to behold even when he says nothing.” Eric Kohn indieWIRE

“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than speak out and remove all doubt.” Abraham Lincoln

“This is Day-Lewis’ movie, and he does with the meditative inner stillness of his character a wonderful thing – he finds a type of heroism that runs counter to all of the usual showy movie signifiers of such a quality.” Movieline Alison Willmore

And if you prefer the showy type of heroism, Bond returns in Skyfall (Rotten TomatoesMetacritic).

“Bond. James Bond is back.” Matthew Razak Examiner.com

News. Good news.

“This is Bond like you’ve never seen him and a dynamite Daniel Craig, never better in the role, nails Bond’s ferocity and feeling. Skyfall is smashing, just smashing.” Peter Travers Rolling Stone

Smashing

“With spectacular action sequences, a rock-solid star and a ration of cheese that’s good English cheddar, “Skyfall” is a gift from above.” Joe Williams St. Louis Post-Dispatch

It’s cheese from God?

“So what do contemporary cinema audiences really want from 007? Is it The Bond Identity or The Dark Bond Rises?” Brian Henry Martin UTV

The Empire Strikes Bond

“Skyfall can take its place alongside From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service as the best Bond can offer.” James Berardinelli eelViews

Sorry Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, and Pierce Brosnan, Bond can do better.

“Skyfall is as satisfying as a great martini.” Mark Sells The Reel Deal

Teenagers and tee-totalers beware, this film has the seductive power of a classic cocktail. Have too many and Nature Calls (Rotten TomatoesMetacritic).

“Any true emotions are snuffed out by over-the-top shock humor that, though constantly ratcheted up, is only done so to conceal the film’s tonal inconsistencies and unease when it comes to big questions.” Kate Erbland Film School Rejects

Nothing to say and struggling to say it.

“After a lot of wandering around, we realize we’ve really just been walking in circles the whole time.” Elizabeth Weitzman New York Daily News

If the film walks around long enough, the title becomes accurate.

“A low-watt, low-wit comedy.” Kyle Smith New York Post

Low blow

“There’s nothing wrong with slack misanthropy, but as piss-takes go, Nature Calls offers a pretty thin stream.” Eric Hynes Time Out New York

When piss jokes fail = Golden Sours.

“Writer-director Todd Rohal fills muddled scenes with manic amounts of jokes that all manage to land with a thud.” Slant Magazine Thomas Hachard

Landing jokes without thuds or duds is tough when writing The Comedy (Rotten TomatoesMetacritic).

“For a catalog of aggressively stupid, socially deviant male behavior, Rick Alverson’s cheekily titled The Comedy is not without a certain subversive intelligence.” Variety Justin Chang

Subversive intelligence – a.k.a. undercover understanding, covert cleverness, IQ on the QT, or ninja wit.

“Its audience may be self-selective in the extreme, but few films have better articulated the limits of irony as a force field against the world.” Scott Tobias AV Club

When the irony force field fails

“a challenging film that may ultimately be bulls***, [but] deserves tremendous respect for its clarity of vision.” Jordan Hoffman IFC.com

Bulls*** Challenge: Other than ‘eye’ or ‘hit’ name another option for the censor stars.

“An unconventional, unapologetic comedy that’s unbelievably entertaining.” Chase Whale We Got This Covered

King Sheep is unsure if any unusual utterances are unclear