Krampus Written by Michael Dougherty, Zack Shields and Todd Casey Directed by Michael Dougherty U.S., 2015 The last time Michael Dougherty tried his hand at making a holiday-themed horror film he made a cult classic, but it took years for the film to find its place. 2007’s Trick ‘r Treat deliberately toyed with fan expectations by …
Nicole Holofcener is one of the strongest voices working in movies today. Her films, often about the lives of everyday women, are consistently sharp and observant and Enough Said does not stray from her already terrific track record. As a writer she has a way of portraying her characters as people we know or someone that we could know.
The Way, Way Back belongs, in no small way, to the same subgenre of low-key indie dramedies like Little Miss Sunshine and Juno, small-town stories populated with well-known actors and an almost sitcom-esque quality to the dialogue. Where this film, written and directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, breaks free from such familiar shackles is in its impressive ensemble cast, specifically the teen actor Liam James and the raffish character actor Sam Rockwell. The Way, Way Back is maybe a touch formulaic, but it’s an assured, enjoyable, and bittersweet coming-of-age story.