Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 89%
| Red Cliff (2009) |
Click here to read article Posted Jan 1, 2010 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 82%
| A Single Man (2009) | "
Despite its downbeat theme, A Single Man is ultimately optimistic about the human capability to gradually make peace with seemingly insurmountable pain and tragedy." Posted Dec 25, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 38%
| Nine (2009) | "
Like he did in Chicago, Marshall films and edits the hell out of the musical numbers, but Nike TV commercials look pretty cool, too." Posted Dec 22, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Fresh 68%
| Sherlock Holmes (2009) | "
Not even Sherlock Holmes could make much sense out of the overplotted, murky mess that is Sherlock Holmes, although Arthur Conan Doyle's legendarily brainy detective would probably never buy a ticket to a movie as elephant-footed as this one..." Posted Dec 22, 2009 |
Rotten
| Fresh 82%
| Avatar (2009) | "
The genre elements are all there: What critically wounds Avatar is Cameron's inability to write better characters." Posted Dec 17, 2009 |
Rotten
| Rotten 13%
| Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009) | "
Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker are supposed to pass for a married couple, but they have all the chemistry of two actors who just met and shook hands moments before the cameras rolled." Posted Dec 16, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Fresh 84%
| The Princess and the Frog (2009) | "
The animation in The Princess and the Frog is beautifully rendered, and the movie doesn't lack for energy. But this is minor Disney at best, forgettable at worst..." Posted Dec 10, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Fresh 76%
| Invictus (2009) | "
It's a bore, really -- a pedestrian movie about a remarkable subject." Posted Dec 10, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 89%
| Up in the Air (2009) | "
Clooney has no peer at conveying suave, unflappable charm, but the role of Ryan requires the actor to do something different with his persona: Deflate the illusion and explore the emptiness beneath the cool." Posted Dec 2, 2009 |
Rotten
| Rotten 57%
| Brothers (2009) | "
Brothers is a collection of strong moments that don't add up to anything. The movie is all build-up." Posted Dec 2, 2009 |
Fresh
| Rotten 50%
| Antichrist (2009) | "
Von Trier, never exactly an optimist, has never been this gloomy and pessimistic. Antichrist is the feel-bad movie of the year." Posted Dec 2, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 93%
| Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) | "
The film's premise may be child-like, but its themes -- family, self-identity and existential angst -- are all engagingly adult." Posted Nov 24, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 6%
| Old Dogs (2009) | "
Disposable but inoffensive." Posted Nov 24, 2009 |
Rotten 1/4
| Rotten 31%
| Ninja Assassin (2009) | "
This shockingly disjointed and relentlessly dull picture can't even deliver the martial-arts kick its title so plainly promises." Posted Nov 24, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 28%
| The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) | "
Even the appearance of Dakota Fanning as a red-eyed bloodsucker capable of inflicting intolerable pain on others falls flat: When one of the presiding vampires mutters "Let's be done with this," you can't help but agree." Posted Nov 19, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 92%
| Precious: Based on the Novel PUSH by Sapphire (2009) | "
Precious stacks the deck so high against its protagonist that in almost any other movie, she would come off as a helpless victim." Posted Nov 19, 2009 |
Rotten
| Rotten 39%
| 2012 (2009) | "
There are times when 2012 feels as if it is not going to end until 2012..." Posted Nov 12, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Rotten 44%
| The Box (2009) | "
The critical consensus is still out on Kelly, and The Box will do nothing to settle the ongoing argument regarding his ability to coalesce his wild conceits into digestible narratives." Posted Nov 5, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/4
| Fresh 94%
| An Education (2009) | "
An Education argues that life -- and the human heart -- are far too complicated merely to be studied. They need to be experienced." Posted Nov 5, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 54%
| The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009) | "
The Men Who Stare at Goats is a premise in wait for a movie -- the pilot episode for a TV series that got canceled before it got cooking." Posted Nov 5, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Rotten 55%
| Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009) | "
Robert Zemeckis finds eye-popping, high-tech new life in Dickens' hoary chestnut." Posted Nov 5, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 68%
| Tetro (2009) |
Click here to read article Posted Oct 30, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Rotten 56%
| Trucker (2009) | "
Monaghan demonstrates an untapped level of talent and skill in Trucker, tackling the difficult role of a woman who refuses to behave as societal norms dictate and has paid the price with loneliness and alienation." Posted Oct 29, 2009 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Fresh 82%
| Paranormal Activity (2009) | "
As far as communal experiences at the multiplex go, the film delivers." Posted Oct 22, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 65%
| Coco Before Chanel (2009) | "
Although technically a biopic based on a nonfiction book by Edmonde Charles-Roux, Coco Before Chanel plays more like an engrossing, classy period piece." Posted Oct 22, 2009 |
Rotten
| Rotten 37%
| Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (2009) | "
A textbook example of how trying to please everyone ends up pleasing no one, Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant is a Frankenstein's monster of a movie, all stitches and seams and disparate parts." Posted Oct 22, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Fresh 73%
| Where the Wild Things Are (2009) | "
The film lacks the menace and danger of Sendak's book, along with the beautiful simplicity and delicated, understated portrait of a lonely, misunderstood boy." Posted Oct 15, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 41%
| New York, I Love You (2009) | "
The result, as is always the case with short story collections, is a mixed bag, although unlike Paris Je T'Aime, the duds outnumber the winners this time." Posted Oct 15, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 72%
| The Boys Are Back (2009) | "
Owen, who doesn't get many roles like this but should be signed for more, brings a compelling and sturdy realism to Joe, making him likable but not insufferable." Posted Oct 8, 2009 |
Rotten 1/4
| Rotten 12%
| Couples Retreat (2009) | "
Couples Retreat is essentially Vaughn and Favreau's baby, and it is absolutely, inexcusably terrible." Posted Oct 8, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 83%
| Whip It (2009) | "
Whip It is completely predictable from the first frame. It also is ridiculously, utterly entertaining." Posted Oct 1, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 74%
| Capitalism: A Love Story (2009) | "
For all his lack of objectivity and occasional fact-twisting, Moore takes on dauntingly complex subjects and turns them into hugely entertaining, provocative pictures." Posted Oct 1, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 89%
| Zombieland (2009) | "
Fleischer never lets Zombieland tip over into drama for too long, because the overriding mission here is to laugh in the face of the apocalypse." Posted Oct 1, 2009 |
Rotten 1/4
| Rotten 27%
| Fame (2009) | "
Forget about living forever: This new Fame will be lucky to hang around for a month." Posted Sep 24, 2009 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Rotten 44%
| Jennifer's Body (2009) | "
Not since Brian De Palma's Carrie has a horror movie so effectively exploited the genre as a metaphor for adolescent angst, female sexuality and the strange, sometimes corrosive bonds between girls who claim to be best friends." Posted Sep 17, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 77%
| The Informant! (2009) | "
A whimsical and light-hearted spin on a serious story of corporate whistleblowing." Posted Sep 17, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 85%
| Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (2009) | "
The psychedelic-era Beatles would have loved this film." Posted Sep 17, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 84%
| The September Issue (2009) | "
In director R.J. Cutler's snappy documentary about the making of the September 2007 issue of Vogue editor Anna Wintour exhibits an icy, unflappable veneer." Posted Sep 11, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 97%
| The Beaches of Agnes (2009) | "
Replete with clips and anecdotes, The Beaches of Agnes is a treat to anyone who already cherishes Varda's films and a perfect primer for those who haven't yet discovered her work." Posted Sep 11, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 78%
| It Might Get Loud (2009) | "
It does make you want to pull out some old records and listen with a new appreciation for certain sounds you once might have taken for granted." Posted Sep 11, 2009 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Rotten 57%
| 9 (2009) | "
Acker's strange little critters turn out to be oddly endearing, even if you get the feeling this battle has been fought before." Posted Sep 8, 2009 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Fresh 70%
| My One and Only (2009) | "
My One and Only isn't exactly memorable, but this little, personable movie is a fine showcase for Zellweger's talents and a paean to the sort of mid-1950s America best remembered in Norman Rockwell paintings." Posted Sep 3, 2009 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Fresh 86%
| Lorna's Silence (2009) | "
Lorna's Silence doesn't work, but it's a beautiful misfire." Posted Sep 3, 2009 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Fresh 63%
| Extract (2009) | "
Mike Judge's Extract has some huge belly laughs, a terrific ensemble cast and more than a few instances of inspired comic brilliance. So why doesn't the movie ever really take off?" Posted Sep 3, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 48%
| Taking Woodstock (2009) | "
Watching the film feels a lot like leafing through an album of someone else's vacation photos: Pleasant, but gets old fast." Posted Aug 27, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/4
| Fresh 72%
| Julia (2008) | "
Charles Bukowski would have loved this foul-mouthed, fiery, reckless woman. Against all odds and common sense, you will, too." Posted Aug 27, 2009 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Fresh 65%
| Adam (2009) | "
Dancy's eye-opening performance reveals he's a bona-fide acting talent, capable of carrying a movie without ever playing to your affections." Posted Aug 21, 2009 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Rotten 17%
| The Marc Pease Experience (2009) | "
This is a slight and unessential picture, but its quirky, compassionate tone seems destined to attract a cult following, and members of high-school drama clubs everywhere will be riveted." Posted Aug 21, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 56%
| Casi Divas (2009) | "
A shrill and gaudy comedy about the quest for celebrity." Posted Aug 21, 2009 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 88%
| Inglourious Basterds (2009) | "
Inglourious Basterds transcends the war genre to become its own kind of unique picture: A bloody blast of pure movie bliss." Posted Aug 20, 2009 |
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