Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 83%
| Bright Star (2009) | "
Bright Star is an admirable film made by a superb craftsman, but for me, Campion fails to deliver the big emotional punch she hopes to land." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Nov 13, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 54%
| The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009) | "
Too shallow for satire and not funny enough for comedy, the infantile Goats is really just a silly absurdist movie trying to pass for an antiwar film." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Nov 13, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 73%
| Starsuckers (2009) | "
Atkins deserves credit for a lively and thought-provoking documentary on a subject more suitable to a book than a film." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Nov 6, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 94%
| An Education (2009) | "
An Education offers plenty to enjoy and admire. It’s full of first-rate performances." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Nov 6, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 87%
| Johnny Mad Dog (2008) | "
What end does a harrowing and horrifying film like this serve? Understanding? Political awareness? I’m not sure. One thing is certain: you won’t forget it in a hurry." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Oct 30, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 92%
| Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) | "
t offers yet another celebration of difference and a lesson on the importance of being yourself. But it does leave you thinking: isn’t it time that children’s films put children first?" — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Oct 30, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 69%
| Coffin Rock (2009) | "
he quiet, understated setup of the first part of the film is an honest and thoughtful exploration of male ego and infertility. Then Glasson turns up the horror heat and his film becomes another bunny-boiler look at obsession." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Oct 30, 2009 |
Rotten 1/5
| Rotten 12%
| Couples Retreat (2009) | "
Couples is so formulaic, so fake and relentlessly bland, it’s hard to care if any of these pairings get a divorce, drown or are eaten by sharks. It has neither the ring of truth nor the fun of fantasy." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Oct 20, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 89%
| Zombieland (2009) | "
After the mandatory splatter scenes, Ruben Fleischer’s film becomes more character-driven and enjoyable." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Oct 16, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 94%
| Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee (2009) | "
Think Spinal Rap. A likeable and sporadically funny film, it’s rather slight for a theatrical release." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Oct 16, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 98%
| Up (2009) | "
A hugely enjoyable work, whose care, craftsmanship and creative courage are rarely found in mainstream films — animated or otherwise." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Oct 16, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 56%
| The Invention of Lying (2009) | "
The Invention of Lying is an underdeveloped work from an overindulged comic." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Oct 4, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 100%
| Toy Story (1995) | "
It doesn’t enhance the experience, because the film’s timeless appeal is down to great characters and wonderful storytelling; a classic that doesn’t need goggles or gimmicks." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Oct 4, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 58%
| Vinyan (2008) | "
Vinyan is a fine example of art-house horror. It’s rich in spooky atmospherics, but it’s not really scary." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Oct 4, 2009 |
Rotten 1/5
| Rotten 0%
| The Spell (2009) | "
The script is appalling, the dialogue is flat, the acting is unforgivable and the horror scenes are unintentionally comic. Yes — in Carey Jones, Britain has produced its own Ed Wood." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Oct 4, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 90%
| District 9 (2009) | "
The film’s tone moves easily from the comic to the cruel, and the alien creatures look authentic. From the start, the film promises a fresh and thoughtful slice of Swiftian sci-fi." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Sep 7, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Fresh 87%
| 500 Days of Summer (2009) | "
Too timid to be truly cynical about love and too eager for box-office success to try to be a really new kind of romantic comedy, the film fails the ultimate romantic-comedy test: not only does it lack enough laughs, but you’re never emotionally involved." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Sep 7, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 98%
| The Hurt Locker (2009) | "
The Hurt Locker is an exciting and visceral work." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Sep 1, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Fresh 82%
| Broken Embraces (2009) | "
It is ironic that, of all Almodovar’s films, Broken Embraces is the biggest budget and the greatest length, yet it is also the dullest. His devoted fans will be delighted, but those who enjoyed Volver will be disappointed." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Sep 1, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 68%
| Funny People (2009) | "
The first part of the film is terrific and very funny. Apatow perfectly captures the ruthless competitiveness of young comics." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Sep 1, 2009 |
Rotten 1/5
| Rotten 18%
| Dance Flick (2009) | "
This comedy is so bad it will make you want to tear out your eyeballs and use them as ear plugs." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Aug 24, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 88%
| Inglourious Basterds (2009) | "
This spaghetti-western-inspired war film is a watchable mix of the good, the bad and the ugly." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Aug 24, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 61%
| Chiko (2008) | "
Despite the fresh setting and fine performances, Yildirim’s screenplay is just too familiar to really admire. Instead of violent and ruthless Italians, we get violent and ruthless Turks." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Aug 24, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 80%
| Bandslam (2009) | "
Bandslam is a mix of the icky, the corny and the comic, but there’s no denying that it’s fun." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Aug 17, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 38%
| The Time Traveler's Wife (2009) | "
Silly sci-fi tosh that tries to play itself out as a serious and heart-rending love story, but Ghost it ain’t." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Aug 17, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 52%
| The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009) | "
All sound and fury, devoid of any relevance or resonance." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Aug 4, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Fresh 65%
| Coco Before Chanel (2009) | "
It’s a work of hagiography that serves neither history nor its subject well." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Aug 4, 2009 |
Rotten 1/5
| Rotten 29%
| Mad, Sad and Bad (2009) | "
Like a sitcom pilot that should never have seen the light of day. The characters are cardboard cutouts and the comedy lacks bite. Imagine the same script featuring white characters and you will see just how second-rate the screenplay is." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Aug 4, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 49%
| Antichrist (2009) | "
Von Trier has mutilated his own film, turning it into a crazy, hysterical work that alienates the audience with its infantile shock tactics and tedious transgressions." — Times [UK] Posted Jul 28, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 43%
| The Proposal (2009) | "
The sight of Bullock doing a rap dance with granny in the woods is a traumatising experience." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Jul 28, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 87%
| Skin (2009) | "
Skin is one of those worthy and watchable dramas that are un-demanding and a bit underwhelming. It should leave you with a big lump in your throat, but it’s strangely unemotional." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Jul 28, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 89%
| Moon (2009) | "
Moon is a gripping sci-fi tale, but also has a lot of heart and humanity." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Jul 24, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Fresh 83%
| Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) | "
This is a Potter film that will be quickly forgotten, even by Harry’s most ardent fans." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Jul 24, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 14%
| The Informers (2009) | "
It has a good cast and a terrific 1980s soundtrack (Devo, Simple Minds), but it also has the superficiality of a TV soap. The Informers is not so bad that you can’t sit back and enjoy it, but nor is it good enough to go and see." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Jul 24, 2009 |
Rotten 1/5
| Rotten 15%
| Year One (2009) | "
Too silly to be smart, too timid to be subversive about religion — it’s hard to believe it’s directed and co-written by the once great Harold Ramis" — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Jul 3, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Fresh 72%
| Sunshine Cleaning (2009) | "
Instead of something fresh and funny, this film is as formulaic and empty as any Hollywood blockbuster." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Jul 3, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 73%
| Rudo and Cursi (2009) | "
Lacks dramatic punch and satirical bite — it’s all rather cartoonish — but it’s full of great characters and moves at an energetic pace. This is a superior buddy film." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Jul 3, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 88%
| Looking for Eric (2009) | "
Loach has created the first real grim-meets-feelgood film. It offers guilt-free fun and laughs for football and Loach fans alike." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Jun 16, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 45%
| New Town Killers (2009) | "
The film has great visual flair, but the story is a heavy-handed slice of modern melodrama that would have made Dickens blush." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted Jun 16, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Fresh 68%
| Fermat's Room (2008) | "
The high tension that should come with a race-against-time scenario is never realised, and the film’s solution to the enigma of who-what-and-why this all happened is disappointing." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted May 29, 2009 |
Rotten 1/5
| Rotten 44%
| Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009) | "
Levy’s film is neither fun nor exciting. He’s stuffed it with special effects, star names and big numbers, but it has none of the exuberance needed to lift us out of our seats and take us on a thrilling ride." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted May 28, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Fresh 93%
| Slepe Lásky (2008) | "
The film avoids sentimentality, yet there’s no denying that we sighted people end up feeling sorry for them — something I don’t think they would want." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted May 28, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 74%
| A Girl Cut in Two (2008) | "
Though the performances are all first-rate, the film is let down by weak characterisation. Still, it’s enjoyable, if not exceptional." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted May 28, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 67%
| Synecdoche, New York (2008) | "
This is a classic Kaufmanesque work: bold, bizarre and utterly baffling." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted May 17, 2009 |
Rotten 1/5
| Rotten 36%
| Angels & Demons (2009) | "
As a cracking tale of code-cracking, Angels & Demons never really works. Howard doesn’t create the drama of a great mind facing great challenges, struggling to see the truth as the clock ticks." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted May 17, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Fresh 87%
| Sounds Like Teen Spirit () | "
Johnson’s film is meant to be a heartwarming and funny look at young dreamers and the realities of their lives. But there’s something distasteful in portraying these kids as lovable losers." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted May 13, 2009 |
Fresh 5/5
| Fresh 88%
| Coraline (2009) | "
The film combines stunning visuals — there are scenes of incredible beauty — with good old-fashioned storytelling that is funny, inventive and at times scary. Destined to be a classic." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted May 13, 2009 |
Fresh 5/5
| Fresh 95%
| Star Trek (2009) | "
Here is a film that slaps your expectations around with surprise after surprise, leaving you shaking your head in disbelief that a Star Trek film could be this good." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted May 13, 2009 |
Rotten
| Rotten 36%
| X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) | "
X-Men Origins is really a series of action sequences, the usual mix of bangs, chases and fights, held together by a plot so predictable that you get no points for guessing right." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted May 7, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 75%
| Helen (2008) | "
Given its harrowing theme, Helen is a beautiful and restrained work. The camera quietly and slowly glides along Helen’s world, laying bare the loneliness of a marginalised girl who is longing to find a life of her own." — Sunday Times (UK) Posted May 7, 2009 |
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