Iron Man 2: the long-deferred revenge of Joel Robinson

It’s not worse than Transformers 2, but only because it’s a law of physics.

riding in cars with middle-aged conmen: An Education

An Education is more a self-indulgent character study wrapped in a memoir than a gripping narrative, but its central question is an interesting one: What is an education, and what’s the point of earning one anyway? Jenny is one of those teens so gifted that her choices and future are entirely in the care of [...]

Gonna fly now, or not: Rocky (I)

It’s difficult to hear the name ‘Rocky’ and not picture cheesy training montages and patriotically homoerotic boxing clinches, with the grimacing visage of Reagan forever looming over the spectacle.  They were the Sunday-afternoon staples of an 80s childhood, famous lines interspersed with commercials urging parents to Buy American every fifteen minutes.  They were live-action cartoons [...]