Rotten C+
| N/A | Santa Buddies (2009) | "
It's a tidy story, but never remarkable, and a few burp jokes reveal disconcerting limitations to the goodwill of the film." — DVDTalk.com Posted Dec 7, 2009 |
Fresh B-
| Rotten 39%
| Wild Child (2009) | "
A slight but tart teen comedy, Child carries some surprising bite, subverting the norm with a fine British cast helping to sell the pixy stick fantasy, buttressed by Roberts's refreshing angry streak." — DVDTalk.com Posted Dec 7, 2009 |
Rotten C-
| N/A | Janky Promoters (2009) | "
Humorless feature film that aspires toward a comedic pitch that should've never been placed in the hands of Ice Cube. Mike Epps, sure. But Cube is best bewildered, not fitted for clown shoes." — DVDTalk.com Posted Dec 7, 2009 |
Rotten C-
| Rotten 18%
| The Other Man (2009) | "
Strangely inhospitable, perhaps better appreciated three margaritas into a Sunday afternoon Lifetime film festival than a critical Friday night rental." — DVDTalk.com Posted Dec 7, 2009 |
Fresh A
| Fresh 89%
| Cast Away (2000) | "
Remains one of the more vividly transporting films I've come into contact with. It's heartbreaking, darkly comedic, bravely observational, and ultimately, pure emotional poetry." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Dec 7, 2009 |
Fresh A
| Fresh 60%
| Return to Me (2000) | "
Contrivances abound, no doubt, but the picture refuses any disingenuous pollutant access to the mix, instead leading with heartfelt, lived-in emotions, enjoying a deliciously homey mood of friendly flirtation and old-world wisdom." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Dec 7, 2009 |
Fresh A
| Fresh 88%
| X2: X-Men United (2003) | "
For this brief shining moment, the "X-Men" universe held perfect pitch, and funny book movies had a new standard of execution to live up to." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Dec 7, 2009 |
Fresh A
| Rotten 58%
| Kikujiro (2000) | "
Leads with Kitano's exquisite timing and ability to mine both laughs and heartache in a single instant. It's a gorgeous take on alienation and guardianship." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Dec 7, 2009 |
Rotten D-
| Rotten 0%
| Transylmania (2009) | "
I surveyed the crowd at the screening I attended, feeling the chill in the air as seven strangers sat in stone-cold silence -- not a single laugh from anyone. The eighth moviegoer? Fast asleep five minutes in. I've never envied a person more." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Dec 4, 2009 |
Fresh B
| Rotten 44%
| Armored (2009) | "
A reasonably clean machine of escapist entertainment, directed resourcefully by Antal, who mines a generous amount of suspense out of a skeletal scenario." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Dec 4, 2009 |
Rotten C
| Fresh 89%
| Up in the Air (2009) | "
Gasping for some reassuring bit of realism or bravery to permit a lasting impact. Reitman lacks that special finesse, searching for an extraordinary pitch of melancholy, only to connect incomplete ideas with half-baked execution." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Dec 3, 2009 |
Fresh A-
| Rotten 56%
| Brothers (2009) | "
A tremendous film, gently reworking its inspiration into a more open wound experience, with three superb lead performances capable of communicating the raw urges and sideswiping confusion of a life lived to the best of intentions." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Dec 3, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Rotten 47%
| Everybody's Fine (2009) | "
Touching without slipping into a cloying routine, hitting a sweet spot of regret that I'm certain most filmgoers around the ages of these characters will be able to relate to in some way or another." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Dec 3, 2009 |
Rotten D
| Rotten 29%
| Serious Moonlight (2009) | "
Hines can't twist the story into a sympathetic whole, leaving the film a mess of tartness and insensitivity that's difficult to endure. Adrienne Shelly deserved a friendlier farewell than this crummy picture." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Dec 3, 2009 |
Fresh A-
| Fresh 100%
| La Danse: The Paris Opera Ballet (2009) | "
The effort of the Paris Opera Company is astonishing, but La danse is a documentary triumph, making the mundane components of perfectionism feel as tense and engrossing as any fireball-happy Hollywood blockbuster." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Dec 3, 2009 |
Rotten D-
| Rotten 21%
| The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (2009) | "
Idiotic style over some sorely needed substance....comes across cringingly rusty; a glorified fan film that only manages to make the popularity of the original picture all the more bewildering." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 25, 2009 |
Fresh A
| Fresh 92%
| Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) | "
A breathtaking cinematic marvel; Anderson finds a magnificent home nestled firmly in the luxurious textures of the animation, the dancing vocal performances, and delicious wry tone that makes for stunningly fanciful cinema." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 24, 2009 |
Rotten D-
| Rotten 5%
| Old Dogs (2009) | "
A spastic, noxious comedy, Old Dogs is scattershot and out of control, bludgeoning the audience with all sorts of eye-bulging mugging and dire cliché. It's insufferable and lazily directed." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 24, 2009 |
Rotten C
| Rotten 32%
| Ninja Assassin (2009) | "
It's a ninja story for goodness sake, but McTeigue and his writers are on the prowl for something epic, puncturing the potential of the film by taking it all so very seriously." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 24, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Fresh 69%
| The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009) | "
Wright is the miracle this picture needs, helping the material achieve an emotional tempo it wouldn't otherwise reach without her stellar contribution." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 24, 2009 |
Fresh B
| Rotten 58%
| Mammoth (2009) | "
Mammoth features sensational moments of reaction and deliberation communicated by a gifted cast, building a few symbolic global bridges, more appreciable for their design than their destination." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 24, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Fresh 72%
| The Road (2009) | "
The images are searing, but there's little for Hillcoat to bat around besides endless agony. The Road is glacial and precise, but rarely offers the viewer something to chew on besides utter finality." — Sci-Fi Movie Page Posted Nov 24, 2009 |
Rotten C-
| N/A | Make the Yuletide Gay (2009) | "
The material eventually falls apart, caught between the mechanics of an out-of-the-closet farce and a tender story of personal and familial acceptance. The festivities kick off with a hearty ho-ho-ho. They end with a disconcerting no-no-no." — DVDTalk.com Posted Nov 19, 2009 |
Rotten C-
| Rotten 33%
| The Open Road (2009) | "
The picture contains a few inspired moments of antagonism and redemption, but it's hard to get energized about a feature film that positions Timberlake in a leading role. The movie practically begs for more Bridges." — DVDTalk.com Posted Nov 19, 2009 |
Rotten C-
| Rotten 0%
| The Accidental Husband (2009) | "
The film is hinged on unapologetic formula, looking to enchant the viewer through the act of repetition, but the writing isn't smart enough to wipe the dust off the plot." — DVDTalk.com Posted Nov 19, 2009 |
Rotten D
| Rotten 16%
| Spread (2009) | "
The shortcuts are maddening, but so is Spread as a whole. Just because the lead character is an insipid, mean-spirited waste of time doesn't mean the movie has to follow suit." — DVDTalk.com Posted Nov 19, 2009 |
Rotten C
| Rotten 28%
| The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) | "
There's some hope that the series will improve over time, effectively righting every last Hardwicke wrong. This is not a quality film by any means, but it's a step up, and that's a relief." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 19, 2009 |
Rotten C+
| Fresh 71%
| The Blind Side (2009) | "
The tender interaction between Leigh Anne and Michael sustains the Blind tension, not plastic acts of tragedy or insensitive supporting characters. Too bad Leigh Anne wasn't allowed in the editing room to knock some sense into Hancock." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 19, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Fresh 81%
| Broken Embraces (2009) | "
A riveting sit, due to the filmmaker's incredible storytelling gifts, and the cast, who articulate a dreamy series of toxic encounters with sniper-like precision, tightening Almodovar's noose with exceptional skill." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 19, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Fresh 87%
| Red Cliff (2009) | "
A user-friendly spectacle of warriors and weapons, Red Cliff is a majestic motion picture that returns Woo to the sort of whirlwind screen restlessness he built his legendary name upon." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 19, 2009 |
Rotten 1/4
| Rotten 21%
| Planet 51 (2009) | "
A poorly conceived comedy spotlighting a collection of anal-centric humor that's about as appealing as baseball bat to the face." — Sci-Fi Movie Page Posted Nov 19, 2009 |
Rotten D
| Rotten 33%
| Love Hurts (2009) | "
It's bloodless material, sluggishly captured by Barra, who's trapped in directorial survival mode, terrified to color outside of the lines." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 12, 2009 |
Rotten C
| Fresh 60%
| Pirate Radio (2009) | "
Pirate Radio is a flawed piece of work, at times utterly paralyzed by muddled whimsy. It'll take some effort from the viewer to sort through this cluttered feature film." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 12, 2009 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Rotten 38%
| 2012 (2009) | "
It's cinematic waterboarding and there was more than one occasion during the film when I was convinced it was never going to end." — Sci-Fi Movie Page Posted Nov 12, 2009 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Rotten 46%
| The Box (2009) | "
Somebody get Richard Kelly a Katherine Heigl romantic comedy stat, or else we might have yet another talented filmmaker unable to wiggle free from his own cavernous pretension." — Sci-Fi Movie Page Posted Nov 6, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Fresh 82%
| Black Dynamite (2009) | "
A feisty, gleefully harebrained spoof of all things Shaft and Superfly, Dynamite is a jubilant ode to the firm cinematic pimp hand, which, in this picture, smacks bad guys around and tickles the audience with the same devotion." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 5, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Rotten 55%
| Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009) | "
A moody picture of extraordinary technical achievement, not a glazed retelling of holiday reform. The distance is unavoidable, but my hope is that audiences take the opportunity to drink in the astonishing craftsmanship of the film." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 4, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Rotten 54%
| The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009) | "
Blithe and teeming with actors having the time of their lives, Goats is a hilarious, freewheeling descent into the abyssal madness of the military machine." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 4, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Fresh 91%
| Precious: Based on the Novel PUSH by Sapphire (2009) | "
Hits several staggering low points, but the humanity is never far from view, and while uncomfortable to process at times, the film retains an impressive dramatic grip through unimaginable horror. Tyler Perry could learn a thing or two from this approach." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 4, 2009 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Rotten 18%
| The Fourth Kind (2009) | "
Attempting shock value and extraterrestrial disturbance to generate a cult smash, Kind will likely tire audiences before it ever has a chance to swindle them." — Sci-Fi Movie Page Posted Nov 4, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Rotten 46%
| Stargate (1994) | "
Has matured wonderfully, sustaining as a curious genre exercise in blockbuster yearn marked by surprising buoyancy, madly entertaining performances, and a fertile cinematic imagination behind the camera not yet corrupted by massive box office success." — Sci-Fi Movie Page Posted Nov 2, 2009 |
Fresh A
| Fresh 63%
| Love Actually (2003) | "
Bombastic audience-hooting moments aside, Curtis has written his most accomplished film, finding the energy to direct the hell out of it as well. And it's even gloriously R-rated to boot." — DVDTalk.com Posted Oct 30, 2009 |
Rotten F
| Rotten 15%
| Stan Helsing (2009) | "
At least the Scary Movie features had a budget and filmmakers with some genre battle scars. Stan Helsing is more Friedberg/Seltzer territory: random, agonizingly desperate, and dripping with laziness." — DVDTalk.com Posted Oct 30, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Rotten 40%
| Waterworld (1995) | "
Regardless of faults, I embrace Waterworld as the pure matinee escapism it was intended to be, readily devouring the sci-fi excitement both Reynolds and Costner are happy to dish up." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Oct 30, 2009 |
Rotten D
| N/A | Camille (2008) | "
It's meant to be cute and harmless, preying on romantics, but it registers more as complete absurdity, minus the soothing touch of a capable filmmaker." — DVDTalk.com Posted Oct 30, 2009 |
Rotten C-
| Rotten 47%
| Whatever Works (2009) | "
Finally catching the feature on Blu-ray after taking an absurdly stubborn stance of protest this summer, I have to say with all honesty, Sony Pictures Classics probably made the right choice to pull the picture away from further negative response." — DVDTalk.com Posted Oct 30, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Fresh 87%
| The House of the Devil (2009) | "
Devil is generously unassuming, making the film more of a secret handshake than a blood-spattered, deafening gorefest. The attention to mood and setting is marvelous." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Oct 29, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Fresh 84%
| The Horse Boy (2009) | "
Horse Boy is a valuable, stirring motion picture. It's a poignant step to understanding the mysteries of the mind and a critical, exquisite reminder of unconditional parental love." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Oct 29, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Fresh 94%
| An Education (2009) | "
Material about two tantrums and a Gossip Girl cast member away from becoming a Lifetime Original event, making the nuanced accomplishments of the feature shine all the more brightly." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Oct 29, 2009 |
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