Fresh 3/5
| Rotten 8%
| St. Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold () | "
The title may be a minger, but this second jolly helping of the resurrected British boarding school franchise packs some quality titters." Metro [UK] Posted Dec 18, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 79%
| Humpday (2009) | "
It’s the psychology of this unlikely situation that makes this edgy buddy flick so fascinating and funny. Entirely ad-libbed, it’s The Hangover with a brain." Metro [UK] Posted Dec 18, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 83%
| Avatar (2009) | "
It’s truly unlike anything you’ve seen before. Don your 3D specs and you’re instantly so sucked into the world of Avatar you pay zero attention to the plot – then realise hey, that’s no loss." Metro [UK] Posted Dec 18, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 79%
| Unmade Beds (2009) | "
This atmospheric indie made by Argentine writer/director Alexis Dos Santos is fun and quietly irreverent but it’s not hugely romantic." Metro [UK] Posted Dec 11, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 11%
| The Stepfather (2009) | "
This is multiplex fodder for the (very) undemanding: they should give this kind of cinematic junk food away free with the popcorn." Metro [UK] Posted Dec 11, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 60%
| Carriers (2009) | "
Skin-crawling moments aside, this glossy US studio movie is surprisingly less about splatter than moments of hard-hitting moral confrontation." Metro [UK] Posted Dec 11, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 73%
| Where the Wild Things Are (2009) | "
What would have been perfection at one hour is still a bravely different Christmas movie, one destined to be a cult classic for generations to come." Metro [UK] Posted Dec 11, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 84%
| Me and Orson Welles (2009) | "
Sparkly, if unmemorable, its unusually old-fashioned charm makes Me And Orson Welles more like something Efron’s army of tiny, squealing fans would take their mums to – rather than the other way around." Metro [UK] Posted Dec 4, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 89%
| Séraphine (2008) | "
This charmingly different biopic is a quality treat." Metro [UK] Posted Nov 27, 2009 |
Rotten 1/5
| Rotten 15%
| Mr. Right (2009) | "
Think Queer As Folk but less raunchy and rather more rubbish." Metro [UK] Posted Nov 27, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Rotten 56%
| Bunny & The Bull (2009) | "
Paul King’s remarkable comedy debut is a dazzlingly unique creation, light years ahead of your bog-standard TV series spin-off." Metro [UK] Posted Nov 27, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 50%
| Glorious 39 (2009) | "
A cracking British character cast, an intriguing angle on World War II and scrummy frocks can't compensate for what's highly coloured tosh, whose every 'twist' is more heavily signposted than roadworks on the M25." Metro [UK] Posted Nov 20, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 77%
| The Informant! (2009) | "
Damon's rarely been better as a seemingly normal guy who you never really get a handle on, but the light-toned narrative could certainly be snappier." Metro [UK] Posted Nov 20, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 77%
| Harry Brown (2009) | "
[Daniel Barber's] bludgeon-you-over-the-head social commentary and borderline fascistic torture porn is thankfully offset by some remarkably sensitive camera work, plus a tear-jerking performance from the 76-year-old Caine." Metro [UK] Posted Nov 13, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Rotten 39%
| 2012 (2009) | "
Emmerich confidently controls his marathon; teasing you with a street crack here, a supermarket tremor there, before going for all-out, balls-to-the -all world destruction. Effects truly don't get more special than this." Metro [UK] Posted Nov 13, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Rotten 44%
| Jennifer's Body (2009) | "
It's barely scary, but it's a treat for every boy (or girl) who'd hack off their right arm to hear Megan Fox purr: 'You've given me such a wettie.'" Metro [UK] Posted Nov 6, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 85%
| Bright Star (2009) | "
Bright Star is at once sublimely swoonsome yet marvellously down to Earth." Metro [UK] Posted Nov 6, 2009 |
Rotten 3/5
| Rotten 55%
| Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009) | "
There's no warmth from these spooky, human-modelled digitised automatons, who glide about like all-night trance festival-goers the morning after." Metro [UK] Posted Nov 6, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 58%
| 9 (2009) | "
Too dark for littl'uns, too hectic and cutesy for adults, it's pretty much guaranteed to please no one." Metro [UK] Posted Oct 30, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 94%
| An Education (2009) | "
Hornby is more interested in the confrontation of self cocooning fantasy with cold reality, of learning to grow up and take responsibility for your life, whatever your age." Metro [UK] Posted Oct 30, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 92%
| Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) | "
Less Roald Dahl, more The Royal Tenenbaums with a tail and whiskers. Visually, as you'd expect from Anderson, it's gorgeous." Metro [UK] Posted Oct 23, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 82%
| Thirst (2009) | "
As intelligent as it is blackly humorous, visually elegant, full-bloodedly erotic and a good half-hour too long." Metro [UK] Posted Oct 16, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Fresh 81%
| Triangle (2009) | "
The déjà vu plot loop-the-loops back on itself till it sends you right round the twist." Metro [UK] Posted Oct 16, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 66%
| The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) | "
For a movie that champions the importance of storytelling, that is, ironically, its limpest department." Metro [UK] Posted Oct 16, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 89%
| Zombieland (2009) | "
The narrative suffers from a recurrent limp but there are memorable high notes, namely a genius cameo by the ever marvellous Bill Murray as himself." Metro [UK] Posted Oct 9, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 94%
| Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee (2009) | "
This chuckle-inducing, improvised collaboration between Considine and director/mate Shane Meadows feels more like a lark than a feature movie but it's got a serious motive." Metro [UK] Posted Oct 9, 2009 |
Fresh 5/5
| Fresh 98%
| Up (2009) | "
Pixar's tenth movie is undoubtedly a work of art but what truly makes it glow is that it's a timeless story about love and has obviously been made with tons of the stuff." Metro [UK] Posted Oct 9, 2009 |
Rotten
| Rotten 10%
| My Life in Ruins (2009) | "
Think Carry On without the sophisticated humour or enlightened views on foreign stereotyping." Metro [UK] Posted Oct 4, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 57%
| The Invention of Lying (2009) | "
Go in with (very) low expectations and they may just be surpassed." Metro [UK] Posted Oct 4, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 40%
| Surrogates (2009) | "
Set your brain to standby and you'll just about suck up this glossy dollop of Total Recall-lite." Metro [UK] Posted Sep 25, 2009 |
Rotten
| Rotten 27%
| Fame (2009) | "
'Lame!' would be a better title for this utterly unmemorable remake of Alan Parker's edgier, darker, remarkably fresh 1980 multi-Oscar-winner." Metro [UK] Posted Sep 25, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 100%
| Three Miles North Of Molkom (2009) | "
Neatly observed and a right giggle." Metro [UK] Posted Sep 18, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 84%
| The September Issue (2009) | "
Glimpsing the emotional chinks in Wintour's armour makes this a fascinating watch as much as the to-die-for frocks, XXL personalities and hilarious fashionista nonsense intoned like papal decree. Eg: 'Jackets are the new coats.'" Metro [UK] Posted Sep 11, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 75%
| Julie & Julia (2009) | "
Comfort viewing for credit-crunch times, this over-long movie is cosy, bland, a bit sugary and totally undemanding. The cinematic equivalent of sticking your brain inside a warm oven." Metro [UK] Posted Sep 11, 2009 |
Fresh 5/5
| Fresh 92%
| Fish Tank (2009) | "
Visually striking but never stylised, it's simply astonishing to find a film that's such a hard-hitting smack in the mouth, yet, at the same time, a marvel of such fragile, natural beauty. Best British film of the year? You bet." Metro [UK] Posted Sep 11, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 96%
| Big River Man (2009) | "
This raw, eccentric documentary is both hugely entertaining and 'can do' inspirational." Metro [UK] Posted Sep 4, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Fresh 64%
| Greek Pete (2009) | "
Why not just make a fictional film? Conflating these seemingly mocked-up scenarios with non-actors and their genuine experiences (eg the shoots for porn magazines) just results in an unsatisfying mess." Metro [UK] Posted Sep 4, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 100%
| Tricks (2007) | "
Andrzej Jakimowski's intimate if slightly disjointed tale of dreams abandoned, connections not made and things not said evokes such a timeless sense of sun-drenched, small-town life, even non-Poles will feel nostalgic." Metro [UK] Posted Sep 4, 2009 |
Fresh 5/5
| Fresh 90%
| District 9 (2009) | "
District 9 socks you with humour, gore and fast-paced action and it never feels worthy, while delivering an unexpectedly touching reflection on man's inhumanity to man." Metro [UK] Posted Sep 4, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 93%
| Mesrine: Part 2 - Public Enemy #1 (2009) | "
It boasts all the analytical depth of a bullet graze but it's still a grippingly groovy watch." Metro [UK] Posted Aug 29, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 98%
| The Hurt Locker (2009) | "
Director Kathryn Bigelow brilliantly surfs a line between challenging, realistic grit and Hollywood thrills, her gripping buddy movie all the more exciting for not blindly following the orders of most big action flicks." Metro [UK] Posted Aug 29, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 68%
| Funny People (2009) | "
This is a kind of cuddly bromance take on Scorsese's The King Of Comedy, in which sentimentality balances bleakness without toppling into schmaltz." Metro [UK] Posted Aug 29, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 29%
| The Final Destination (2009) | "
They lazily let the effects do most of the hard work in this 'ain't broke' scenario." Metro [UK] Posted Aug 29, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 84%
| Broken Embraces (2009) | "
Pedro Almodóvar's visually sumptuous feature will please but not wow his fans, since it retreads familiar waters to unremarkable effect." Metro [UK] Posted Aug 29, 2009 |
Rotten 1/5
| Rotten 18%
| Dance Flick (2009) | "
Another movie spoof so lame the kindest thing one could do is shoot it and put it - and us - out of our collective misery." Metro [UK] Posted Aug 21, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 15%
| I Love You, Beth Cooper (2009) | "
Wises are cracked and touching coming-of-age lessons learned – think Nick And Norah's Infinite Playlist with a more rubbish soundtrack." Metro [UK] Posted Aug 21, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Rotten 45%
| Shorts (2009) | "
[A] fantastically zany if draggingly storyless story." Metro [UK] Posted Aug 21, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 77%
| Afterschool (2009) | "
Provocative, unflinching and stripped of anything approaching a consoling music soundtrack, it's a must for fans of challenging, A+ intelligent cinema desperately seeking the antithesis of High School Musical." Metro [UK] Posted Aug 21, 2009 |
Rotten
| Fresh 88%
| Inglourious Basterds (2009) | "
At a bum-numbing two-and-a-half hours, you need more. You may have seen war through the eyes of Quentin Tarantino - but there's nowt going on behind them." Metro [UK] Posted Aug 21, 2009 |
Fresh
| Rotten 38%
| The Time Traveler's Wife (2009) | "
This isn't the fully marshmallow-basted turkey it seems at first glance. However, it barely scratches the surface of Audrey Niffenegger's superior beach read." Metro [UK] Posted Aug 14, 2009 |