A year ago, in mid-January, Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper expanded into wide release and became an instant phenomenon. It quickly assumed its position as the highest-grossing film of 2014 and picked up some major Oscar nominations, including one for Best Picture. So it makes complete sense that the very same ...

What grade should one assign to a likable film that mostly succeeds in accomplishing its goals, but which demonstrates a total lack of ambition or originality? Should it be graded for its own successes, or examined for its relative place in cinema? This is a dilemma that has confronted me ...