Struck by Lightning

It’s no spoiler to reveal that Glee’s Chris Colfer kills off the character he plays in his screenwriting debut. Like in Sunset Blvd. and American Beauty, he’s, well, Struck by Lightning before the opening credits end and narrates the events of the film from beyond the grave. Also like in those classic films, one tends to forget this tidbit as the plot unfolds, only to be poignantly reminded as the extended flashback catches up with the opening scene....  read more

Bachelorette

Bachelorette may not be a sequel to Bridesmaids, but the comparison is inevitable and deserved: Both center around jealous maids of honor whose friendships with the bride are tested in the run-up to the big day. Both feature raunchy humor directed at female audiences. Both start with the letter “B.” But whereas the pedigree of last year’s double-Oscar nominee lies in television sketch comedy and sitcoms, Bachelorette originated on the stage, and writer-director Leslye Headland mines material as portentous as the Seven Deadly Sins. The result is a sister film that’s less fun but more poignant in its examination of...  read more