Fresh 3/5
| Rotten 13%
| Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009) | "
Neither good nor bad. Scales dizzying new heights of okay. Aims for mediocrity... and nails it." Empire Magazine Posted Jan 1, 2010 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 65%
| The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) | "
There are thrilling flashes of Gilliam getting back to top form here. A scrappy movie with more ideas than it can control, but one born out of a passion and determination that are wholly infectious." Empire Magazine Posted Oct 16, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 12%
| Couples Retreat (2009) | "
A rom-com short on romance and even shorter on laughs." Empire Magazine Posted Oct 16, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 66%
| Away We Go (2009) | "
While cynics may find it twee, Mendes fans should greatly enjoy this (gently) surprising change of direction. Go in with the right frame of mind and you’ll leave with a big, goofy grin on your face." Empire Magazine Posted Sep 18, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 63%
| Baby Mama (2008) | "
Fey and Poehler are better than 95 per cent of the innumerable male comedy double acts around at the moment. May they never part, because their work here is an utter joy." Empire Magazine Australasia Posted Aug 18, 2008 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 63%
| Baby Mama (2008) | "
Good comedy knows no gender, and be you woman, man or any sentient being with a funny bone, you will find boundless delight in two people doing what they do best: being very, very funny." Empire Magazine Posted Jul 21, 2008 |
Fresh 5/5
| Fresh 96%
| WALL-E (2008) | "
Absolute heaven." Empire Magazine Posted Jul 18, 2008 |
Rotten 3/5
| Rotten 34%
| The Edge of Love (2009) | "
The cast is strong and the first act has an intriguingly dreamy quality, but it gives way to a soggy ending." Empire Magazine Posted Jun 20, 2008 |
Fresh 3/5
| Rotten 35%
| 21 (2008) | "
The Ocean’s Eleven: The College Years mood makes for a breezy good time, even if there is, like Vegas, precious little substance beneath the glitz." Empire Magazine Posted Apr 11, 2008 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 86%
| The Orphanage (2007) | "
A good old-fashioned horror in the best possible way, this is a beautifully told, terrifying ghost story that lingers with you long after the shivers have stopped." Empire Magazine Posted Mar 20, 2008 |
Fresh 3/5
| Rotten 16%
| Jumper (2008) | "
t’s Liman’s least charismatic action movie and the least developed, but it still packs some cracking action into its brief running time and lays foundations on which a great franchise could be built." Empire Magazine Posted Feb 15, 2008 |
Fresh 5/5
| Fresh 77%
| Cloverfield (2008) | "
A dazzling experiment that paid off immensely, this is cinematic pleasure at its purest." Empire Magazine Posted Jan 22, 2008 |
Fresh 3/5
| Rotten 37%
| Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007) | "
Structurally it’s a bit ragtag, but, as your mum would say, it has its heart in the right place. For all its wilful oddness it’s enchanting, imaginative and genuinely moving." Empire Magazine Posted Dec 13, 2007 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 42%
| The Golden Compass (2007) | "
A crushing disappointment for fans and a scuppered opportunity for a cinematic event. That the first book has been so mishandled doesn’t bode well for the (already greenlit) more complicated ones to come." Empire Magazine Posted Dec 7, 2007 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 92%
| Enchanted (2007) | "
The dedicated fairy tale fan will have tons of fun spotting all the references. Adams, meanwhile, gives one of the comedy performances of the year." Empire Magazine Posted Dec 4, 2007 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 84%
| Air Guitar Nation (2007) | "
A delightfully surreal look at a bizarre performance art." Empire Magazine Posted Nov 8, 2007 |
Fresh 4/5
| Rotten 54%
| Eagle Vs. Shark (2007) | "
So quirky that it’s almost in danger of collapsing under the weight of its own antic whimsy at times, but a comic delight destined for cult adoration." Empire Magazine Posted Aug 17, 2007 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 89%
| Waitress (2007) | "
An unassuming treat amid the noisy blockbuster season. It’ll melt your heart and any dietary resolve equally." Empire Magazine Posted Aug 10, 2007 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 34%
| The Chumscrubber (2005) | "
A tragic waste of acting talent, with nothing new to say. Can we please now politely close the door on middle-class repression before we get really angry?" Empire Magazine Posted Jun 8, 2007 |
Fresh 3/5
| Rotten 29%
| Magicians (2007) | "
The bumbling charms of the stars just about pull this through, but there’ll be few calls for an encore come the final curtain." Empire Magazine Posted May 18, 2007 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 94%
| Away From Her (2007) | "
It's Sarah Polley through and through: slightly too glum for its own good, but reeking of quality and feeling." Empire Magazine Posted Apr 27, 2007 |
Fresh 3/5
| Rotten 56%
| Alpha Dog (2007) | "
It suffers from ADD, but there’s some terrific stuff in here. Leaving 15 minutes from the end and saving yourself a lumbering coda may improve enjoyment." Empire Magazine Posted Apr 20, 2007 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 74%
| Sunshine (2007) | "
Aside from a last-act blip when everything goes a little bit “what the hell?”, this is a knuckle-gnawingly tense, glorious action thriller and marks yet another genre nailed by Danny Boyle." Empire Magazine Posted Apr 10, 2007 |
Rotten 1/5
| Rotten 22%
| Outlaw (2007) | "
The kind of film the tabloids will call to ban. Don't take that as a reason to see it." Empire Magazine Posted Mar 8, 2007 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 74%
| The Illusionist (2006) | "
It’s not on a gasp-inducing making-the-Statue-Of-Liberty-disappear level, but with its opulent presentation and confident storytelling, The Illusionist has the power to keep an audience rapt like a good old-fashioned card trick." Empire Magazine Posted Feb 27, 2007 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 69%
| The Science of Sleep (2006) | "
It suffers occasionally from self-consciousness and over-indulgence in its own oddity, but Gondry’s grasp of emotion and visuals is enchanting. Even if he seems several sandwiches short of a picnic." Empire Magazine Posted Feb 14, 2007 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 90%
| Hot Fuzz (2007) | "
Even without the inspired idea of Shaun Of The Dead it’s an easy match for laughs, and marks Nick Frost as a vital part of this team’s appeal. The boys (now in blue) have done it again." Empire Magazine Posted Feb 14, 2007 |
Fresh 3/5
| Rotten 39%
| Goal II: Living the Dream (2008) | "
Filmically it's more of a pleasantly diverting kick about in the park than a 90th minute back-of-the-net at the world cup final." Empire Magazine Posted Feb 6, 2007 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 87%
| Notes on a Scandal (2006) | "
Intelligent, classy and skin-crawling. You won't see a better acting masterclass this year." Empire Magazine Posted Jan 29, 2007 |
Fresh 3/5
| Rotten 27%
| Smokin' Aces (2007) | "
Full respect to Carnahan for making the tired crime genre feel fresh, but it would have been more fun without a last-minute attempt to make it mean something." Empire Magazine Posted Jan 4, 2007 |
Rotten 2/5
| Fresh 81%
| Ghosts of the Abyss (2003) | "
Despite Paxton's whooping every time a new artefact comes on screen, it's hard to be constantly excited about watching a bunch of rusty, decayed junk -- historic and three-dimensional though it may be." Empire Magazine Posted Dec 30, 2006 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 72%
| Flushed Away (2006) | "
The best animated movie of the year and only a whisker shy of the brilliance of Wallace and Gromit." Empire Magazine Posted Nov 29, 2006 |
Fresh 4/5
| Rotten 45%
| The Last Kiss (2006) | "
Crediting its audience with emotional intelligence, this rises well above your usual rom-com-dram." Empire Magazine Posted Oct 21, 2006 |
Fresh 3/5
| Rotten 48%
| Idlewild (2006) | "
Fans happy to luxuriate in its artistic indulgence, however, will be swept up in the weird, random, fantastic OutKastness of it all." Empire Magazine Posted Oct 6, 2006 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 48%
| Hoodwinked (2006) | "
The idea is so great that it's a crying shame that the end product is such a sheep in wolf's clothing." Empire Magazine Posted Sep 29, 2006 |
Rotten 2/5
| Fresh 63%
| The Ant Bully (2006) | "
As kiddie entertainment it works well, with simple humour and lots of action. But there’s not a lot to appeal to any accompanying adults." Empire Magazine Posted Aug 12, 2006 |
Fresh 3/5
| Rotten 55%
| The Notorious Bettie Page (2006) | "
A small, strangely sweet tale well told. But this is all about Mol, who puts in a performance that gives her a very early lead on next year’s Oscar race." Empire Magazine Posted Aug 4, 2006 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 75%
| Cars (2006) | "
Judged against previous form, this is not Pixar firing on all cylinders, lacking the sophisticated comedy we’ve come to expect. Judged against fare from other studios, however, it’s a triumph." Empire Magazine Posted Jul 28, 2006 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 81%
| Serenity (2005) | "
If you’re a novice, this is a plucky introduction to Whedon’s world and the most fun sci-fi of the year. If you’re a devotee, this is the magnificent return you’ve been praying for." Empire Magazine Posted Apr 1, 2006 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 85%
| The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005) | "
Overlong and slightly muddled, this is nevertheless an enjoyable showcase for the superb Steve Carell." Empire Magazine Posted Aug 26, 2005 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 26%
| Fantastic Four (2005) | "
A fantastic bore." Empire Magazine Posted Jul 22, 2005 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 80%
| Layer Cake (2005) | "
Although the story and message become a little confused at the end, [Vaughn] marks himself as a mainstream British director about whom to get legitimately excited." Empire Magazine Posted Mar 23, 2005 |
Fresh 3/5
| Rotten 55%
| Home on the Range (2004) | "
Judged apart from its mousehouse history it's highly likeable, pleasantly unpretentious and plenty amusing." Empire Magazine Posted Aug 6, 2004 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 41%
| Jersey Girl (2004) | "
The 'grown-up' Kevin Smith exhibits greater ambition, but he's not quite so much fun." Empire Magazine Posted Jun 18, 2004 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 82%
| The Good Girl (2002) | "
Aniston may not have received her much-touted Oscar nomination, but this brilliantly funny and often touching film should assure her a solid post-Friends career." Empire Magazine Posted May 2, 2003 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 33%
| Windtalkers (2002) | "
What should be a moving story with spectacular battle scenes by one of the world's greatest action directors is a huge let-down." Empire Magazine Posted Feb 2, 2003 |
Rotten 1/5
| Rotten 3%
| Rollerball (2002) | "
The rollerball sequences feel sanitised and stagey." Empire Magazine Posted Dec 23, 2002 |
Fresh 3/5
| Rotten 44%
| Get Over It (2001) | "
It's completely harmless -- taking that as a pro or a con will be entirely up to the individual viewer." Empire Magazine Posted Jun 11, 2001 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 24%
| See Spot Run (2001) | "
The plot is so ridiculous and the execution so poor that nothing can save this floundering mess." Empire Magazine Posted Jun 1, 2001 |