Ooh, "slumming" is a bit harsh, isn't it? Surely nothing that's considered slumming is worthy of calendar pick status—well, I agree. Yet frankly, some of the most entertaining films of the past several years have arrived as a result of a particular director stepping back from the more cerebral, political or message-heavy films that garnered them prominence and delivered so-called "popcorn" movies; as a result, most have been accused at one time or another of slumming. Never mind that said films are usually a damn sight better than most blockbusters—Ocean's Eleven, for example, is hardly the apex of Steven Soderbergh's career, but it's a blast. (We're choosing to ignore the fact that any subsequent crap sequels exist, mind you.) And earlier this year, Spike Lee made a giant leap away from his usual m.o. to deliver a crackin' thriller called Inside Man,... More >>>