Fresh 3.5/4
| Fresh 82%
| 21 Grams (2003) | "
A melancholy meditation on guilt and grief, powered by deeply empathetic performances from the three leads." Posted Nov 26, 2003 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Fresh 76%
| Bad Santa (2003) | "
In the end, it's hard not to be impressed by the way Bad Santa rips into sanctimonious holiday traditions with the demented glee of an 8-year-old unwrapping an X-Box." Posted Nov 25, 2003 |
Fresh 8/10
| Fresh 90%
| The Magdalene Sisters (2003) | "
A powerful piece of agitprop." Posted Sep 15, 2003 |
Fresh 7/10
| Fresh 62%
| Camp (2003) | "
Though the direction is amateurish in spots, the film boasts a winning cast of characters, energetic musical numbers ... and a genuine compassion for kids who prefer Damn Yankees to a Yankees game." Posted Sep 15, 2003 |
Fresh 6/10
| Fresh 72%
| Dummy (2003) | "
Surprisingly endearing in moments thanks to finely tuned comic performances, especially from Brody." Posted Sep 15, 2003 |
Rotten 4/10
| Rotten 52%
| Home Room (2002) | "
Its noble intentions are undermined by syrupy, movie-of- the-week direction." Posted Sep 5, 2003 |
Fresh 8/10
| Fresh 94%
| American Splendor (2003) | "
A hilarious and often touching tribute to a true American underdog." Posted Aug 15, 2003 |
Fresh 7/10
| Fresh 71%
| Buffalo Soldiers (2003) | "
There's much to recommend about Buffalo Soldiers, starting with Joaquin Phoenix, whose antihero character oozes sinister charisma, and Ed Harris, playing against type as a spineless colonel." Posted Jul 25, 2003 |
Rotten 5/10
| Rotten 46%
| Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003) | "
Thoroughly mediocre kiddie flick." Posted Jul 1, 2003 |
Rotten 6/10
| Rotten 40%
| The Hard Word (2003) | "
Caper flicks should stay two steps ahead of the audience, and this one just barely keeps pace." Posted Jun 13, 2003 |
Fresh 7/10
| Fresh 77%
| Respiro (2003) | "
The real stars of the film are the kids, who realistically convey the pains and pleasures of life on an island seemingly left behind by time." Posted May 22, 2003 |
Fresh 8/10
| Fresh 81%
| Blue Car (2003) | "
Moncrieff unfolds the tale with the bare-bones grace of an expert novelist, making subtle connections but never telling the audience how to feel." Posted May 1, 2003 |
Rotten 4/10
| Rotten 14%
| View from the Top (2003) | "
The movie floats around aimlessly between condescending dumb-blonde comedy, soggy love story and follow-your-destiny corn." Posted Mar 20, 2003 |
Rotten 5/10
| Fresh 73%
| He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (2003) | "
Exploring the flipside of Tautou's adorable pixie is an interesting idea, but this movie just isn't up to the task." Posted Feb 19, 2003 |
Rotten 6/10
| Fresh 71%
| All the Real Girls (2003) | "
The film's strengths are overshadowed by Green's flawed script, which wobbles awkwardly between art-house eccentricity and trite Hollywood sentimentality." Posted Feb 19, 2003 |
Fresh 9/10
| Fresh 92%
| City of God (2003) | "
The cast of unknown actors, many from the real ghetto, provides the movie with unexpected heart and humor." Posted Jan 24, 2003 |
Fresh 8/10
| Fresh 68%
| The Slaughter Rule (2002) | "
The movie has a richness that blows away most first features, not to mention most sports movies." Posted Jan 16, 2003 |
Fresh 9/10
| Fresh 95%
| The Pianist (2002) | "
It's an unforgettable story, and a welcome return to form for Polanksi." Posted Dec 24, 2002 |
Fresh 8/10
| Fresh 85%
| About Schmidt (2002) | "
An utterly believable and gut-wrenching portrait of Midwestern loneliness." Posted Dec 19, 2002 |
Fresh 7/10
| Fresh 76%
| Gangs of New York (2002) | "
Not surprisingly, director Martin Scorsese delivers an ambitious spectacle with jaw-dropping sets and bone-crunching battles." Posted Dec 19, 2002 |
Rotten 3/10
| Rotten 44%
| Better Housekeeping (2002) | "
As pure over-the-top trash, any John Waters movie has it beat by a country mile." Posted Nov 21, 2002 |
Fresh 6/10
| Fresh 91%
| Far From Heaven (2002) | "
The performances here are impeccable ... and Haynes has created a beautiful world that seems eternally stuck in autumn, but the plodding, hesitant story feels as artificial as the Whitaker's love life." Posted Nov 7, 2002 |
Fresh 7/10
| Fresh 72%
| Auto Focus (2002) | "
The strong performances do make it worth a look." Posted Oct 17, 2002 |
Rotten 5/10
| Fresh 83%
| Real Women Have Curves (2002) | "
The film is hampered by its predictable plot and paper-thin supporting characters." Posted Oct 17, 2002 |
Fresh 6/10
| Fresh 64%
| Below (2002) | "
The movie stays afloat thanks to its hallucinatory production design." Posted Oct 10, 2002 |
Fresh 7/10
| Fresh 96%
| Bowling for Columbine (2002) | "
While there's obviously no single easy answer to the questions his film raises, Moore jumps from topic to topic without ever really digging below the surface or looking for counterpoints. That said, his questions are crucial ones." Posted Oct 10, 2002 |
Fresh 8/10
| Fresh 80%
| Biggie and Tupac (2002) | "
While Broomfield's film doesn't capture the effect of these tragic deaths on hip-hop culture, it succeeds as a powerful look at a failure of our justice system." Posted Oct 2, 2002 |
Rotten 6/10
| Fresh 74%
| Secretary (2002) | "
With its rushed pace and isn't-this-wacky soundtrack, the film exudes TV shallowness, and by the time it arrives at its absurdly happy ending, it has all the impact of a pinch." Posted Sep 20, 2002 |
Rotten 2/10
| Rotten 8%
| Stealing Harvard (2002) | "
Green might want to hang onto that ski mask, as robbery may be the only way to pay for his next project." Posted Sep 12, 2002 |
Fresh 8/10
| Fresh 82%
| The Good Girl (2002) | "
Chuck and Buck, director Miguel Arteta and writer Mike White have crafted an insightful portrait of inertia, and offer a complex look at the fine line between victim and victimizer." Posted Sep 6, 2002 |
Fresh 8/10
| Fresh 82%
| One Hour Photo (2002) | "
After years of rehashing the cuddly genie from Aladdin, Williams reminds us why he became a star in the first place." Posted Aug 21, 2002 |
Rotten 5/10
| Fresh 75%
| Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams (2002) | "
Though the sequel's brisk pace and imaginative monsters should keep kids relatively fidget-free, it fails on almost every other level." Posted Aug 6, 2002 |
Fresh 6/10
| Rotten 37%
| Full Frontal (2002) | "
Reasonably entertaining, until you realize that Soderbergh doesn't have much more on his mind than some not-very-revealing observations about Tinsel Town artifice." Posted Aug 1, 2002 |
Fresh 8/10
| Fresh 92%
| The Kid Stays in the Picture (2002) | "
This real-life Hollywood fairy-tale is more engaging than the usual fantasies Hollywood produces." Posted Jul 26, 2002 |
Fresh 10/10
| Fresh 89%
| The Cockettes (2002) | "
A fascinating case study of flower-power liberation -- and the price that was paid for it." Posted Jul 24, 2002 |
Fresh 7/10
| Fresh 97%
| Read My Lips (2002) | "
Devos' performance goes a step further: She gets us rooting for Carla, even though we know she's just setting herself up for more pain." Posted Jul 15, 2002 |
Rotten 6/10
| Rotten 44%
| Mama Africa (2002) | "
Each story is built on a potentially interesting idea, but the first two are ruined by amateurish writing and acting, while the third feels limited by its short running time." Posted Jun 10, 2002 |
Fresh 8/10
| Fresh 90%
| The Fast Runner (2002) | "
If you can surrender to the pace, it's more deeply satisfying than your usual summer fare." Posted Jun 10, 2002 |
Fresh 7/10
| Fresh 84%
| Elling (2002) | "
Fortunately, Elling never gets too cloying thanks to the actors' perfect comic timing and sweet, genuine chemistry." Posted May 29, 2002 |
Fresh 7/10
| Rotten 58%
| Importance of Being Earnest (2002) | "
Witherspoon puts to rest her valley-girl image, but it's Dench who really steals the show." Posted May 28, 2002 |
Fresh 8/10
| Fresh 92%
| Insomnia (2002) | "
Pacino hasn't been this good in ages, dropping his usual mannerisms to dig deep into his multi-layered character, and Williams makes a chillingly serene psycho." Posted May 24, 2002 |
Rotten 2/4
| Fresh 93%
| About a Boy (2002) | "
Though ultimately derailed by an underdeveloped romance and an overly sappy ending, About a Boy shows signs that the Weitz brothers are near cinematic adulthood." Posted May 17, 2002 |
Rotten 2/4
| Fresh 88%
| Late Marriage (2001) | "
The screenplay is too obvious in its critique of arranged marriages, and its portrayal of Zaza's malicious parents is smugly cynical." Posted May 17, 2002 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 41%
| A Night at the Golden Eagle (2002) | "
Too bad writer-director Adam Rifkin situates it all in a plot as musty as one of the Golden Eagle's carpets." Posted Apr 26, 2002 |
Fresh 3/4
| Rotten 57%
| Jim Brown: All American (2002) | "
A well-rounded tribute to a man whose achievements -- and complexities -- reached far beyond the end zone." Posted Mar 22, 2002 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 35%
| Stolen Summer (2002) | "
Ultimately ... the movie is too heady for children, and too preachy for adults." Posted Mar 22, 2002 |
Fresh
| Fresh 71%
| Princesa (2001) | "
Up until its oddly flat ending, Princesa is an honest depiction of the way dreams can backfire." Posted Dec 17, 2001 |
Fresh
| Fresh 89%
| Trembling Before G-d (2001) | "
The personal stories in Sandi Simcha DuBowski's film are as beautifully and softly braided as challah bread." Posted Oct 24, 2001 |
Rotten
| Fresh 68%
| Chop Suey (2001) | "
Weber comes across as dishonest about his true interest in the gorgeous wrestler at the center of his film." Posted Oct 8, 2001 |
Fresh
| Fresh 91%
| Dinner Rush (2001) | "
It's refreshing to see a food film that for once doesn't pour on sentimental cooking-as-life metaphors." Posted Oct 8, 2001 |
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