Fresh
| Fresh 93%
| Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) | "
Imagined with large doses of wit and brio, Roald Dahl's children's story is a larger than life fantasy for all ages, brilliantly adapted to the screen and showcasing voice talents led by George Clooney as the likeably roguish Mr. Fox." Posted Dec 20, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 93%
| Mesrine: Part 2 - Public Enemy #1 (2009) | "
As a biopic of a modern gangster, Public Enemy No 1 is close to a masterpiece" Posted Dec 18, 2009 |
Fresh
| Rotten 50%
| It's Complicated (2009) | "
There are delicious moments of dark humour about the state of being divorced, sex and the divorced woman, and of course, the etiquette of an ex wife being a mistress to her ex husband" Posted Dec 18, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 69%
| Sherlock Holmes (2009) | "
Guy Ritchie gets a lot right and a lot wrong in his supposed 'back to the source' Sherlock Holmes, which might be called 'the case of too much attitude'." Posted Dec 18, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 84%
| Bright Star (2009) | "
But the film is more about the impact of love on both their lives than about the impact of his poetry, which wasn't widely recognised until after his death. Life's a bitch." Posted Dec 18, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 88%
| Nowhere Boy (2009) | "
What differentiates this story is how it dovetails into the life of John Lennon that begins as this film ends." Posted Dec 18, 2009 |
Fresh
| Rotten 40%
| The Lovely Bones (2009) | "
It's an ethereal if not exactly spiritual adventure, in which we can feel Jackson urging us to soar in a realm we cannot know ... the nether world which can only be presented in tangible visuals on the screen. It's not your average film." Posted Dec 18, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 83%
| Avatar (2009) | "
Avatar is a richly symbolic, captivating and immense film which laces together some of the great mythical stories of mankind into a contempo action adventure fusing its sci fi genes with spiritual and ecological themes. And it pivots on romance" Posted Dec 13, 2009 |
Fresh
| N/A | Poker House (2009) | "
One of those autobiographical films... like Running With Scissors... that shows how children can survive and even prosper emotionally, spiritually (eventually) despite a ghastly childhood" Posted Dec 12, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 82%
| Broken Embraces (2009) | "
The sure cinematic hand of Pedro Almodóvar falters and fumbles here as he attempts to fuse together a melodrama with a thriller plus something of a spiritual journey for his central character, Mateo ... superbly portrayed by Lluis Homar" Posted Dec 12, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 89%
| Zombieland (2009) | "
If you want escapism with a capital F for fun, Zombieland is it to a T (with a Zee)." Posted Nov 30, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 100%
| The French Kissers (2009) | "
Written in the ink of painful experience, Raid Sattouf's screenplay rests his humour on reality; like Absolutely Fabulous the material is serious to the point of tragedy. These characters survive emotionally by the skin of their teeth; a few don't" Posted Nov 28, 2009 |
Fresh
| Rotten 57%
| 9 (2009) | "
More like an animation showcase of wonders than a genuine cinematic story" Posted Nov 28, 2009 |
Fresh
| Rotten 25%
| Powder Blue (2009) | "
Patrick Swayze's final feature film role as Wild Velvet strip club boss Velvet Larry is a flamboyant extravaganza" Posted Nov 28, 2009 |
Fresh
| Rotten 40%
| Streets of Blood () | "
All in all, a devil of a cocktail for an evening's bullet ridden entertainment" Posted Nov 28, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 73%
| Where the Wild Things Are (2009) | "
This film is not for me, but I do recognise its accomplishments and see how it appeals to the fan base, and how the young Max's journey connects with youngsters" Posted Nov 28, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 77%
| The Informant! (2009) | "
It isn't until the third act that we really get to grips with the whole scenario enough to ride it like a theme park adventure" Posted Nov 28, 2009 |
Fresh
| Rotten 57%
| The Invention of Lying (2009) | "
The premise allows the filmmakers latitude to invent a scenario that works as irony and satire about our modern world. It shows, humorously, how impossibly confronting it would be if we really didn't lie, flatter and smooth over our social interactions" Posted Nov 20, 2009 |
Fresh
| N/A | My Tehran for Sale (2009) | "
Complex and engaging, My Tehran For Sale is not a simplistic cry or a victim's story; it's a big subject and Granaz Moussavi handles it with grace and sensitivity" Posted Nov 13, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 87%
| Amreeka (2009) | "
It's the humanity of the work that makes it resonate and the insight into a culture closed to most Australians that makes it illuminating" Posted Nov 13, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 87%
| A Serious Man (2009) | "
Often subtle, often outrageous and perhaps selfish film (they didn't make it for us, they made it for themselves but we can share it); those who approach the film with a genuine curiosity will get something out of it" Posted Nov 13, 2009 |
Fresh
| Rotten 47%
| Dorian Gray (2010) | "
It's a morality tale told through amorality and the pursuit of pleasures of the flesh" Posted Nov 6, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 72%
| The Boys Are Back (2009) | "
It's the two boys, young George Mackay and younger Nicholas McAnulty who walk away with the acting honours in astonishingly mature and controlled performances" Posted Nov 5, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 60%
| Prime Mover (2009) | "
Prime Mover deals in the everyday lives of recognisably Australian characters in a way that makes their journey matter to us. And it does it in unique style" Posted Nov 5, 2009 |
Fresh
| Rotten 21%
| Amelia (2009) | "
Amelia reminds us how little we really know about the lives of famous achievers who changed the world, and underlines the power of biography on screen. It's a creatively and technically accomplished film with thrills and emotional action in equal measure" Posted Nov 5, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 69%
| Coffin Rock (2009) | "
Hold us on the edge of our seats in a tightly made genre film that boasts outstanding performances and dynamic direction" Posted Oct 17, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 83%
| Call + Response (2008) | "
Laced with the potent music of a dozen bands and solo artists, Call Response is an urgent call to arms in the war against modern slavery." Posted Oct 17, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 94%
| An Education (2009) | "
Sheer joy of an intelligent, grown up film" Posted Oct 17, 2009 |
Fresh
| Rotten 47%
| Whatever Works (2009) | "
The result is a stew that is not as satisfying as the gumbo which Boris Yellnikoff (Larry David) gets to enjoy" Posted Oct 8, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 81%
| Departures (2009) | "
The film has enjoyed tremendous acclaim but I hesitate to recommend it unreservedly. Better to lower your expectations and discover those elements that touch you most deeply without waiting for the film to deliver something that it doesn't really promise" Posted Oct 8, 2009 |
Fresh
| Rotten 48%
| Astro Boy (2009) | "
The symbolism and the underlying themes within this story may not be relevant to its core audience, but it's interesting to see how filmmakers feed off those elements" Posted Oct 8, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 75%
| Julie & Julia (2009) | "
It's a delicious, irresistible film whose primary exuberance and pull is created by the combined forces of Meryl Streep and Amy Adams %u2013 their second pairing after Doubt, in which they also hit the acting jackpot" Posted Oct 2, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 73%
| Mao's Last Dancer (2009) | "
A mature work from a master filmmaker relishing his work" Posted Sep 23, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 72%
| Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008) | "
It's an easy and lightweight date movie for teens who will enjoy also discovering some New York bands." Posted Sep 19, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 89%
| Séraphine (2008) | "
As far as biopics of painters go, Séraphine is one of the very best" Posted Sep 19, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 71%
| Van Diemen's Land (2009) | "
The film is a consummate piece of movie making, with Ellery Ryan's cinematography a powerful contributor to the film's tone and effect" Posted Sep 19, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 77%
| Valentino: the Last Emperor (2009) | "
This remarkably intimate portrait, made with less formality than you might expect, gives a real insight into Valentino as a living, working phenomenon at the end of his career" Posted Sep 10, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 78%
| $9.99 (2009) | "
The Jewish melancholy and downbeat humour that oozes from the original writing is overlaid with an Australian idiom, thanks ironically to the great cast, in a transplant that doesn't really take" Posted Sep 10, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 80%
| Blessed (2009) | "
Blessed with cinematic ambition, Ana Kokkinos and her writing collaborators have forged a striking film out of pain and dysfunction, yet managing to pull out a serene sense of closure in the final moments." Posted Sep 2, 2009 |
Fresh
| N/A | Lacombe, Lucien (1974) | "
Superbly evocative of the period in both imagery and mood, Lacombe Lucien is a character study of a young man during a dark chapter in French history" Posted Aug 29, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 67%
| Ben X (2008) | "
From the opening moments, as the graphics of the Archlord online game intercut with the world of Dutch teenager Ben (Greg Timmermans), we know we're in for something special" Posted Aug 29, 2009 |
Fresh
| Rotten 29%
| Aliens in the Attic (2009) | "
Undemanding and occasionally lol, Aliens in the Attic will have the youngsters in stitches at some of the fight scenes... entertaining and sometimes goofy family comedy" Posted Aug 28, 2009 |
Fresh
| Rotten 55%
| The Soloist (2009) | "
This film isn't as much about homelessness as about helplessness - and how some people are able not necessarily to overcome it, but to manage it. And how people like Steve Lopez, unintentionally help themselves when they try to help others. That's a great" Posted Aug 28, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 98%
| Up (2009) | "
A triumph of animation and imagination, Up is impossible not to enjoy, with its combination of adventure, true love and humour" Posted Aug 28, 2009 |
Fresh
| N/A | Burning Season (2008) | "
This globe trotting doco is a handy insight into the tragic deforestation around Indonesia" Posted Aug 27, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 100%
| Last Ride (2009) | "
Glendyn Ivin's natural cinematic flair ensures the smooth transition from text to screen in a story that Mac Gudgeon has scripted with a sparse, raw, slow-burning dynamic." Posted Aug 27, 2009 |
Fresh
| N/A | Bastardy (2008) | "
Archival black and white footage, newspaper clippings and fresh footage taken over seven years by filmmaker Amiel Courtin-Wilson combine to paint a complex and fascinating profile of Jack." Posted Aug 26, 2009 |
Fresh
| N/A | Wake in Fright (1971) | "
A riveting film with exceptional relevance today in its cultural veracity and its observation of not just outback Australian society (if you can call it that), but in human nature." Posted Aug 26, 2009 |
Fresh
| Rotten 51%
| The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009) | "
Made with all the sinewy economy and storytelling clarity honed by making lots of high end TV commercials, Tony Scott pumps contempo energy and visual style into this classic good story" Posted Aug 20, 2009 |
Fresh
| Rotten 48%
| Taking Woodstock (2009) | "
Much of the credit must go to Lee's cinematic choices; his use of multi-split screens, the montages that create a clear sense of the vibrantly positive mood infecting everyone and a beautiful acid trip visualisation" Posted Aug 20, 2009 |
RSS Feeds