Author: Laurie Coker

By Laurie Coker Rating: C- Since I have grown to dislike the typical verbal diarrhea of Vince Vaughn, when given a choice, I opted to see Ethan Hawke in the violent thriller The Purge instead, a genre that I usually pass off to a different critic. Director James DeMonaco offers plenty of thrills, suspense and… Continue reading Review: THE PURGE

By Laurie Coker Rating: B+ In my opinion, it is becoming increasingly more and more difficult for writers and directors to come up with fresh takes on coming of ages tales. Films like Rob Reiner’s Stand by Me come around only once in a while, and John Hughes cornered the market on his style of… Continue reading Review: KINGS OF SUMMER

By Laurie Coker Rating: A My sister lived on a boat of some kind for well over twenty years, more than ten of those she spent with her co-captains sailing or motoring down the Pacific coast, through the Panama Canal at one point, and eventually, she ended up in Florida, after longs stints in Mexico,… Continue reading Review: KON-TIKI

By Laurie Coker Rating: A- Once in NYC, I fell prey to a street magician and since then I have a bit of an aversion to the trade, but not the talent. I remember loving David Coppefield and sat in awe at one of his shows, years ago. Like many magic tricks, perhaps all in… Continue reading Review: NOW YOU SEE ME

By Laurie Coker Rating: C+ New York City, a place like no other, and one I have visited every year for over fifteen years now. I love it! In spite of these annual visits, Bergdorf’s of New York has never been on my must see list. In fact, to be honest, while I have made… Continue reading Review: SCATTER MY ASHES AT BERGDORFS

By Laurie Coker Rating: A Few films can sustain characters like Richard Linklater’s films Before Sunrise (1994), Before Sunset (2004) and now, nine years later, his newest in the series Before Midnight, but because they are richly drawn and immensely engaging, we follow along in their lives with interest and curiosity. We can find comfort… Continue reading Review: BEFORE MIDNIGHT

By: Laurie Coker Rating: F Notably, as my male critic friends pointed out at the screening, I am NOT the target demographic for the new Hangover film, starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, and Ken Jeong, reprising their roles and proving some men never learn. I went in whining from the start, convinced the… Continue reading Review: HANGOVER PART III

By Laurie Coker Rating: A- Not every film released warrants me driving over 40 miles round trip for a 9:00 PM screening (I have done such for some real stinkers), but a Star Trek movie does fuel my desire, if not my car. Since my youth, I religiously watched the first run series with a… Continue reading Review; STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS