Fresh 4/4
| Rotten 30%
| Youth Without Youth (2007) | "
Coppola has conviction even with the airiest elements. The churn and sweep of time, memory, karma, the whole enchilada of fate, give the story a weirdly compulsive charm." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Dec 21, 2007 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 82%
| Atonement (2007) | "
Atonement, a triumph of adulthood, atones for a lot of shoddy stuff at the movies in 2007." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Dec 14, 2007 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 77%
| Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) | "
J.K. Rowling has a spirit of plenty. On page and screen, her vision is a deliciously human (not just mythic) triumph of fancy, a spreading of soulful wings to lift us high." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Jul 9, 2007 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 89%
| Venus (2006) | "
Peter O'Toole is surpassingly good in Venus." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Jan 26, 2007 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 91%
| Letters From Iwo Jima (2006) | "
Eastwood has at times been a theme-bound and overly praised director. But the laurels really fit this unique double bill. His spare, careful classicism, braced by compelling care for tension and action, makes Letters a great battle movie." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Jan 12, 2007 |
Fresh 4/4
| Rotten 31%
| Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (2006) | "
To call Fur one of the year's best seems a little diminishing -- it's a classic." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Nov 21, 2006 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 87%
| The Last King of Scotland (2006) | "
The key achievement, in this vividly shot and superbly cast drama, is to make us fear for the slightly contemptible Garrigan but feel mostly for Ugandans, even (a little) for Amin." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Oct 6, 2006 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 81%
| A Prairie Home Companion (2006) | "
The movie, the most blithely charming film Altman has made, is a fully satisfying meal." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Jun 9, 2006 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 71%
| Clean (2006) | "
Cheung, a star of Irma Vep and many Chinese films, has probably her best role so far, even after working for Wong Kar-wai and Zhang Yimou." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Jun 9, 2006 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 93%
| An Inconvenient Truth (2006) | "
This movie will shake you, especially if you have kids. The central facts are piling up in a way that disturbs anything but indolent complacency." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Jun 9, 2006 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 86%
| Thank You For Smoking (2006) | "
Watch it and light up, mentally." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Mar 31, 2006 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 87%
| Sophie Scholl: The Final Days (2005) | "
Devout but no saint, Sophie was one of those people whose moral gravity (helped by a wonderful family) bears witness for humanity when that is most needed." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Apr 21, 2006 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 85%
| Pride and Prejudice (2005) | "
The film is profoundly accomplished, entrenched in its period, timed with supple rhythms, cast near to perfection." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Nov 11, 2005 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 90%
| Capote (2005) | "
It is the finest portrait of an American author dramatized on film." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Oct 14, 2005 |
Fresh 4/4
| Rotten 59%
| Oliver Twist (2005) | "
Oliver Twist has been done repeatedly on film and TV, but never better than in Roman Polanski's beautiful and tough-minded movie." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Sep 30, 2005 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 80%
| Cinderella Man (2005) | "
Cinderella Man is the most heartfelt boxing drama because it is more than a boxing story." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Jun 3, 2005 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 73%
| The Upside of Anger (2005) | "
This rich, supple, truly felt movie is a big leap for Binder, and while he clearly studied the sitcom manual for timing and structure, the film rises like a bubble above soap opera." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Mar 18, 2005 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 69%
| Closer (2004) | "
Nichols is too craftily experienced (man, is he experienced) not to give each actor good innings." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Dec 3, 2004 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 97%
| Sideways (2004) | "
Modern American comedy doesn't get any better than Sideways. The film delivers great humor to open up something deeper -- a heartfelt portrait of a life in crisis." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Nov 5, 2004 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 82%
| Ray (2004) | "
Ray has the sound, drive, heat and wallop of Ray Charles." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Oct 29, 2004 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 83%
| The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) | "
One of the most affecting and humanly realized films ever made about a great man." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Oct 1, 2004 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 72%
| Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004) | "
The film is a love party of noirs and flyboy pictures, King Kong and Things to Come, Metropolis and Lost Horizon, Radio Days and The Lost World, etc. in excelsis." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Sep 17, 2004 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 66%
| The Door in the Floor (2004) | "
An alert, adult and intelligent film." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Jul 16, 2004 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 94%
| Before Sunset (2004) | "
By the end, you are either in love again or you never were." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Jul 9, 2004 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 84%
| Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) | "
An extremely effective advertisement for Michael Moore's political ideas and gut feelings." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Jun 25, 2004 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 89%
| Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) | "
A big, marvelous entertainment we can feel proud to love." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Jun 4, 2004 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 85%
| Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004) | "
Not so much dramatizing as frisking its themes, Vol. 2 has more story, more emotion, more breath-held quiet times to coax and trigger the tensions." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Apr 16, 2004 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 93%
| Touching the Void (2004) | "
When the 'adventure' is over, you gladly welcome a level floor, crave some water, and wish never to rise above the altitude of Galveston, Texas." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Feb 13, 2004 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 93%
| My Architect: A Son's Journey (2003) | "
One of the best films ever made about an artistic force." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Feb 20, 2004 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 90%
| My Flesh and Blood (2003) | "
This movie, tough to watch, is invaluable to absorb." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Jan 30, 2004 |
Fresh 4/4
| Rotten 35%
| Mona Lisa Smile (2003) | "
Julia Roberts has no Mona Lisa smile -- enigmatic coyness isn't in her range -- but her big, horsey grin flashes its horse sense and beaming charm through much of Mona Lisa Smile, and viewers can smile in return." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Dec 19, 2003 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 70%
| Something's Gotta Give (2003) | "
Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton show how romantic chemistry can make champagne." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Dec 12, 2003 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 85%
| Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) | "
This is the finest movie ever made about men fighting under sail." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Nov 14, 2003 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 85%
| Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003) | "
The film is a caravan of Tarantino enthusiasms, from Hong Kong quickies to film noir to Kurosawa's joyous Hidden Fortress." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Oct 10, 2003 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 95%
| Lost in Translation (2003) | "
It's a sharp, funny, tender and surprising film that pivots on Murray." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Sep 20, 2003 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 94%
| American Splendor (2003) | "
A salute to the power of the urban eccentric to worm into a worthy life." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Aug 29, 2003 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 94%
| Dirty Pretty Things (2003) | "
The film is awfully good at the chess of life, and its driven moves are topped by sentiment that is not only forgivable but entirely earned." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Aug 19, 2003 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 79%
| Open Range (2003) | "
If you grew up on Westerns, which are now an old-time religion, Open Range is a ride you want to share." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Aug 15, 2003 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 98%
| Spellbound (2003) | "
These kids are all champs." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Jun 6, 2003 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 98%
| Finding Nemo (2003) | "
In not just a crowd-grabber but an instant classic, Albert Brooks achieves a new height vocally as Marlin, the dad." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted May 30, 2003 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 86%
| Lilya 4-Ever (2003) | "
This movie may seem, by plain description, like putting your heart into a garlic press. But it's extraordinarily alive." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted May 16, 2003 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 86%
| Nowhere in Africa (2003) | "
This very fine movie is neither tourism nor special pleading, and its emotions are impeccably developed." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Apr 4, 2003 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 67%
| Laurel Canyon (2003) | "
Like Shampoo, the movie is a comical carousel of beautifully joined overlaps." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Mar 28, 2003 |
Fresh 4/4
| Rotten 24%
| Till Human Voices Wake Us (2003) | "
You can feel the movie's skin against your own, and your heart goes out to it." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Feb 28, 2003 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 72%
| The Guys (2002) | "
A modest masterpiece." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Jun 20, 2003 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 95%
| The Pianist (2002) | "
By combining the persistence of things -- and so many perishable lives -- with the mellifluousness of Chopin, Polanski gets from an excellent cast and a strong script his grave witness to the agonies of the Jews and his native land." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Jan 3, 2003 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 82%
| Ram Dass Fierce Grace (2002) | "
Rarely, a movie is more than a movie. Go." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Sep 13, 2002 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 82%
| Road to Perdition (2002) | "
The best gangster movie since The Godfather." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Jul 12, 2002 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 83%
| Thirteen Conversations About One Thing (2002) | "
The movie has a soft, percolating magic, a deadpan suspense." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted Jun 7, 2002 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 84%
| The Son's Room (2002) | "
This is not an easy film. But it could be, by its art and heart, a necessary one." — San Diego Union-Tribune Posted May 16, 2002 |
IGN RSS Feeds