Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 100%
| Sweetgrass (2009) | "
Castaing-Taylor's lensing -- from sheep staring into a camera to panoramic views of the gorgeous landscape -- is pleasing to the eye." Posted Jan 6, 2010 |
Rotten 2/4
| N/A | The Other Side of Paradise (2010) | "
A welcoming indie road movie that has its faults but otherwise speaks well for Justin D. Hilliard, its director and co-writer." Posted Jan 5, 2010 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 86%
| Old Partner (2009) | "
Too bad there isn't an Oscar for best performance by a beast of burden." Posted Jan 1, 2010 |
Fresh 3/4
| Rotten 38%
| My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? (2009) | "
A surreal descent into a twilight zone created by the twisted sensibilities of two cinematic geniuses." Posted Dec 11, 2009 |
Rotten 1/4
| Rotten 11%
| Hannah Free (2009) | "
It might be OK some early morning on an obscure cable network. But that's it." Posted Dec 11, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 25%
| Staten Island (2009) | "
Best is D'Onofrio as a gangster turned environmental activist -- he puts on a white three-piece suit, climbs to the top of a gigantic tree and refuses to come down." Posted Nov 20, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Fresh 77%
| The Good Soldier (2009) | "
Has important things to say. Sadly, it does so in an unexciting manner." Posted Nov 13, 2009 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Fresh 67%
| Dare (2009) | "
Dare is a high school coming-of-age film that dares to push the envelope. It doesn't always succeed, but that's not for lack of trying." Posted Nov 13, 2009 |
Rotten 1/4
| Fresh 80%
| Collapse (2009) | "
Collapse is boring. But what do you expect from a one-sided movie about a kook, who, at the time the film was shot, faced eviction from his home because he hadn't paid the rent?" Posted Nov 6, 2009 |
Rotten 1/4
| Rotten 27%
| Splinterheads (2009) | "
Splinterheads might suffice some late night on cable, but that's about it." Posted Nov 6, 2009 |
Rotten
| Rotten 25%
| Looking for Palladin (2009) | "
Looking for Palladin has a split personality. It starts as a comedy but morphs into an icky family melodrama. It should have stuck with the yuks." Posted Oct 30, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Fresh 88%
| Skin (2009) | "
The direction is never more than conventional, with a tear-inducing finale better suited to a TV soap opera." Posted Oct 30, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 94%
| The Wedding Song (2009) | "
An intelligently written and directed story of two 16-year-old girls -- one Jewish and one Muslim -- and their friendship in Tunis during the Nazi occupation in the 1940s." Posted Oct 23, 2009 |
Fresh
| Rotten 47%
| Ong Bak 2 (2009) | "
There isn't much of a plot, although Jaa's fans won't mind a bit. All they want is lots of bloody, muddy action in the Thai jungles, which they get." Posted Oct 23, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/4
| Rotten 50%
| Antichrist (2009) | "
Please don't take anything I've said to indicate that Antichrist isn't difficult to watch. It most certainly is, but as somebody (the Marquis de Sade, perhaps) once said: No pain, no gain." Posted Oct 23, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 95%
| The Maid (2009) | "
Silva's script has the ring of truth, not surprising since he based it on real-life experiences. He even shot most of the scenes in his own family's house." Posted Oct 16, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 9%
| Opa! (2009) | "
The water is blue, the women are beautiful, the guys are hunky and the ouzo flows without end. So do the clichés." Posted Oct 16, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 78%
| Bronson (2009) | "
Refn films much of the violence in slow motion, accompanied by classical music, which adds impact to the brutality." Posted Oct 9, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Rotten 54%
| Intimate Enemies (2009) | "
Along the way, Siri exposes French hypocrisy -- showing that the Algerian rebels were only doing what the French Resistance did in battling the Nazis who ruled their country in WorldWar II." Posted Oct 2, 2009 |
Rotten 1/4
| Rotten 0%
| A Beautiful Life (2009) | "
A Beautiful Life makes little attempt to be credible or original. And the acting is poor." Posted Oct 2, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Fresh 63%
| As Seen Through These Eyes (2009) | "
Unfortunately, Angelou's detached and often superfluous narration lessens the film's impact." Posted Oct 2, 2009 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Rotten 50%
| The Providence Effect (2009) | "
Adams and the school's students and teachers deserve an A-plus, although the film rates a much lower grade. It unfolds lifelessly, as Binzer parades a contingent of talking heads before the camera in what could pass for an infomercial." Posted Sep 25, 2009 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Fresh 67%
| The Bluetooth Virgin (2009) | "
Brown's film consists of a series of long, talky, humorless takes, during which the old argument about art versus commerce comes to the fore." Posted Sep 25, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 91%
| In Search Of Beethoven (2009) | "
What made Ludwig such a great musician? The documentary In Search of Beethoven, directed by Phil Grabsky, answers that question reasonably well." Posted Sep 25, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 84%
| Disgrace (2009) | "
I cannot tell a lie. I derive great satisfaction watching John Malkovich act." Posted Sep 18, 2009 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Rotten 32%
| The Burning Plain (2009) | "
That fractured structure worked well for Arriaga in his scripts for other directors. Here the characters aren't compelling enough to ask viewers to give their brains a workout to determine exactly what's going on." Posted Sep 18, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/4
| Fresh 95%
| 35 Shots of Rum (2009) | "
Denis -- who has called the film a tribute to the great Japanese director Yasujiro Ozu -- keeps dialogue to a minimum as she delicately examines how immigration is changing the face of France." Posted Sep 18, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 87%
| At the Edge of the World (2009) | "
I'm a big fan of Japanese food, but after watching At the Edge of the World, I'll be thinking twice about ordering sushi." Posted Aug 28, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Fresh 83%
| We Live in Public (2009) | "
There must be a reason why, after all these year, Timoner chose to make a movie about Harris. If you figure it out, please let me know." Posted Aug 28, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 100%
| Still Walking (2009) | "
Kore-eda, talented director that he is, never allows the story to sink into soap-opera melodrama, and he refrains from pointing fingers." Posted Aug 28, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 58%
| Art & Copy (2009) | "
When all is said and done, Art & Copy is little more than an ad for advertising." Posted Aug 21, 2009 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Rotten 33%
| Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha (2009) | "
It has some very funny moments (Van Peebles floating up the Hudson in an inner tube, for instance), although it goes on too long. Still, it confirms Van Peebles' reputation as a one of a kind." Posted Aug 21, 2009 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Fresh 84%
| Captain Abu Raed (2008) | "
There's an aura of tension as Abu Raed helps a boy escape from his abusive father. And the location shots of Amman are impressive." Posted Aug 14, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 91%
| Cloud 9 (2009) | "
Seldom has any movie shown so much geriatric sex and full-frontal nudity (male and female). But, thanks to Dresen, it is all done with taste and sensitivity." Posted Aug 14, 2009 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Fresh 86%
| Yasukuni (2009) | "
The film is visually compelling, but suffers because [director] Li fails to put events into context, a fact likely to confuse viewers not versed in Japanese history." Posted Aug 14, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Fresh 80%
| Taxidermia (2007) | "
And now a word of advice from your friendly film critic: If you go to see the Hungarian black comedy Taxidermia, don't plan to eat afterward." Posted Aug 14, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 82%
| Beeswax (2009) | "
Beeswax ranks as one of the most mature mumblecore exercises yet, a sure sign that the movement will live on despite its misguided detractors." Posted Aug 7, 2009 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Fresh 72%
| I Sell the Dead (2009) | "
Genre fans will definitely get off on I Sell the Dead, but outsiders might be less enthusiastic." Posted Aug 7, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Fresh 67%
| Bliss (2007) | "
Sadly, the story leans toward the melodramatic and the conflict is too conveniently resolved." Posted Aug 7, 2009 |
Fresh 4/4
| Fresh 86%
| Lorna's Silence (2009) | "
The always reliable Dardenne brothers, Jean-Pierre and Luc, the Belgian poets of the underclass, outdo themselves in Lorna's Silence." Posted Jul 31, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 82%
| Thirst (2009) | "
Feeling anemic? Allow Dr. Musetto to prescribe large quantities of human blood. You'll find plenty of it in Thirst, from Park Chan-wook, one of South Korea's leading filmmakers." Posted Jul 31, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Fresh 86%
| Flame & Citron (2008) | "
As directed by Ole Christian Madsen, the thriller features well-choreographed shootouts and assassinations. But the script is too melodramatic and complicated for its own good." Posted Jul 31, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 85%
| Import/Export (2009) | "
The mood is as dismal as the weather in Import/Export, by Austrian auteur Ulrich Seidl." Posted Jul 31, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/4
| Fresh 100%
| You, the Living (2009) | "
Presenting the funniest movie of 2009 (so far). It's You, the Living, a collec tion of 50 absurdist sketches written and directed by Roy Andersson, a talented gentleman from Sweden." Posted Jul 29, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 69%
| Loren Cass (2009) | "
The low-budget, low- tech indie Loren Cass is an example of less being best." Posted Jul 24, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Fresh 88%
| The English Surgeon (2009) | "
[Director] Smith seems intent on turning Marsh into a folk hero. That's fine, I suppose, although it would have been informative to take a closer look at Ukraine's medical nightmare -- its causes and its prognosis." Posted Jul 24, 2009 |
Rotten 1/4
| Rotten 33%
| Paraiso Travel (2009) | "
Worth seeing only for Angelica Blandon." Posted Jul 24, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Rotten 57%
| Died Young, Stayed Pretty (2009) | "
Yaghoobian's nonlinear editing is as offbeat as the posters, with non sequiturs and strange asides. She lets scenes run a few seconds longer than most directors would -- to good effect." Posted Jul 17, 2009 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Fresh 60%
| Off Jackson Avenue (2009) | "
If there really are 8 million stories in the naked city, you'd think that writer-director John-Luke Montias would have come up with more convincing scenarios for his Queens-based movie Off Jackson Avenue." Posted Jul 17, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 79%
| A Woman in Berlin (2008) | "
A Woman in Berlin, which is based on an anonymously written memoir of the same name, serves also as a testimony to women who put men in their place." Posted Jul 17, 2009 |
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