Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 29%
| Ninja Assassin (2009) | "
McTeigue obscures whatever is happening on screen, using bad lighting and rapid editing when he should be holding the image still and letting viewers see what they came for." — Kansas City Star Posted Nov 25, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 9%
| Post Grad (2009) | "
Bledel can carry a film, and her level-headed charm works wonders. At least until Fremon and Jenson turn her into another dithering flick chick whose decisions are dictated by the men in her life." — Kansas City Star Posted Aug 20, 2009 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Fresh 80%
| Bandslam (2009) | "
You have to respect any movie that name-checks the Velvet Underground and assumes its tweenage viewers will get the reference -- or ask their parents later." — Kansas City Star Posted Aug 14, 2009 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Rotten 56%
| Enlighten Up! (2009) | "
When she inserts herself into the action, she reveals only her own insecurity. It ends up being very enlightening, but probably not in the way Churchill intends." — Kansas City Star Posted Jun 12, 2009 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Fresh 90%
| Hunger (2008) | "
It’s as stubbornly inscrutable as its subjects." — Kansas City Star Posted May 15, 2009 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Rotten 58%
| 17 Again (2009) | "
It’s an entertaining showcase for its star, and that’s all it really needs to be." — Kansas City Star Posted Apr 17, 2009 |
Rotten 1/4
| N/A | Gooby (2009) | "
Instead of inspiring children to be brave and loving, it will most likely send them cowering under the covers in terror. They’ve already got Chucky movies for that." — Kansas City Star Posted Apr 17, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 18%
| The Haunting in Connecticut (2009) | "
By the final reel you’ll either be swept along by the sheer energetic absurdity of it all, or you’ll be laughing at how goofy and muddled it is. The only thing you definitely won’t be is scared." — Kansas City Star Posted Mar 27, 2009 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Rotten 33%
| Knowing (2009) | "
This is a strange, scatterbrained hybrid of disaster movie and theologically minded science fiction. It’s like The Happening with math." — Kansas City Star Posted Mar 20, 2009 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Rotten 23%
| Fired Up (2009) | "
The film’s misogyny is countered only by its homophobia -- its male gay characters are mincing idiots, while the women could have walked out of a you-wish Playboy spread." — Kansas City Star Posted Feb 20, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 46%
| Hotel for Dogs (2009) | "
[The filmmakers] can handle cheap gags and visuals, but story, character, dialogue, even a consistent tone are entirely out of their grasp." — Kansas City Star Posted Jan 16, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 43%
| Yes Man (2008) | "
A movie about taking risks should not be this safe." — Kansas City Star Posted Dec 18, 2008 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Fresh 73%
| Fear(s) of the Dark (2008) | "
They all visualize the fears that haunt our dreams, but only McGuire brings them to full, unnerving life." — Kansas City Star Posted Dec 5, 2008 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 25%
| Four Christmases (2008) | "
It’s four wacky holiday comedies in one movie, each trying to top the last." — Kansas City Star Posted Nov 25, 2008 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 100%
| Divorce, Italian Style (1962) | "
If you’re in the mood for a cynical, time-traveling Italian vacation, you couldn’t do much better than this." — Kansas City Star Posted Nov 7, 2008 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 93%
| Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story (2008) | "
Boogie Man does not inspire pity for Atwater but sadness that a man of such talent wasted his life and learned his lesson too late." — Kansas City Star Posted Oct 24, 2008 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 72%
| Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008) | "
The soundtrack is as good as you'd expect from a movie about music lovers, as artists like Vampire Weekend and Devendra Banhart provide the essential background for the characters' adventures." — Kansas City Star Posted Oct 3, 2008 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Fresh 68%
| Girls Rock! (2008) | "
It’s a great program and a great subject, but Girl’s Rock! directors Shane King and Arne Johnson don’t quite know what to do with it." — Kansas City Star Posted Sep 26, 2008 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 28%
| Eagle Eye (2008) | "
Set in the present, and directed by a middling talent, Eagle Eye still has some entertainment value. But only if you’re looking for a good laugh." — Kansas City Star Posted Sep 26, 2008 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Rotten 13%
| The Women (2008) | "
The cast is full of top-notch comedic actresses, but they’re relegated to roles they could play in their sleep." — Kansas City Star Posted Sep 12, 2008 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Rotten 17%
| Fly Me To The Moon (2008) | "
Fly Me to the Moon is the first animated feature made specifically for the 3-D format. If this were not the case, it would have gone straight to DVD. Everything else about it is as lazy and dull as the latest cheap Pixar knockoff." — Kansas City Star Posted Aug 22, 2008 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Fresh 73%
| When Did You Last See Your Father? (2008) | "
When Did You Last See Your Father? is based on a true story, but it still feels contrived." — Kansas City Star Posted Jul 11, 2008 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 28%
| What Happens in Vegas (2008) | "
It’s a testament to how good casting can help a film and bad writing can hurt it even more." — Kansas City Star Posted May 9, 2008 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 13%
| Made of Honor (2008) | "
It’s hard to sympathize with characters who bear no resemblance to any existing member of the human species, although, as is typical with this kind of movie, the cast brings a commitment the material doesn’t deserve." — Kansas City Star Posted May 2, 2008 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 55%
| Flawless (2007) | "
Like the diamonds that motivate its characters, Flawless” has a pretty surface but not much else." — Kansas City Star Posted Apr 24, 2008 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 79%
| The Rape Of Europa (2007) | "
Narrated by Joan Allen, the film is a remarkably comprehensive look at the cultural destruction that accompanied the slaughter." — Kansas City Star Posted Mar 28, 2008 |
Rotten 1/4
| Rotten 24%
| Never Back Down (2008) | "
If Mystery Science Theater 3000 ever makes a comeback, I’ve got its first movie. A soulless blend of bad action, bad acting and worse writing, Never Back Down is tolerable only if merciless wisecrackers are offering commentary." — Kansas City Star Posted Mar 14, 2008 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 39%
| Bonneville (2006) | "
Bonneville is so bland and predictable, it literally takes two Oscar-winners and a multiple nominee to give it any real entertainment value." — Kansas City Star Posted Feb 29, 2008 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Rotten 54%
| Charlie Bartlett (2007) | "
For all its sympathy toward adolescent angst, it turns out that Charlie Bartlett is really about reassuring and reinforcing worried adults." — Kansas City Star Posted Feb 22, 2008 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 10%
| Fool's Gold (2008) | "
The greatest stars in the world could not salvage something so ill-conceived, however, and neither can director Andy Tennant." — Kansas City Star Posted Feb 8, 2008 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 40%
| 27 Dresses (2008) | "
27 Dresses was obviously written by the Chick Flick Plot Generator 2000. Sure, it has a credited 'human' screenwriter, Aline Brosh McKenna, but how do we know she’s not a robot?" — Kansas City Star Posted Jan 18, 2008 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Fresh 74%
| Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007) | "
At least it’s not as bad as it could have been." — Kansas City Star Posted Dec 21, 2007 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Rotten 22%
| P.S. I Love You (2007) | "
The supporting roles are all handled well by experienced actors, and they have good material to work with." — Kansas City Star Posted Dec 21, 2007 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Rotten 38%
| August Rush (2007) | "
Although Williams seems to be in another film altogether, Russell and Rhys Meyers make an attractive and believable would-be couple, and Highmore may actually be the best child actor working today." — Kansas City Star Posted Nov 21, 2007 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 68%
| Darfur Now (2007) | "
Admirable work." — Kansas City Star Posted Nov 16, 2007 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Rotten 21%
| Fred Claus (2007) | "
The cast boasts three Oscar winners and two nominees. Normally, such a pedigree would guarantee great performances, at the very least." — Kansas City Star Posted Nov 9, 2007 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Rotten 51%
| Bee Movie (2007) | "
Seinfeld doesn't need to go back to his 'show about nothing' premise, but here's hoping his next project can be about just a little less." — Kansas City Star Posted Nov 2, 2007 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Rotten 45%
| Bella (2007) | "
A little too safe and tentative." — Kansas City Star Posted Oct 26, 2007 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Fresh 77%
| 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama (2007) | "
[Ray's] particular interest in Asia serves him well as he explores the Dalai Lama’s world." — Kansas City Star Posted Oct 12, 2007 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Rotten 55%
| We Own The Night (2007) | "
If Gray had put as much effort into his script as he puts into [several] scenes, he might have made a film to rival Scorsese or Cronenberg. As it is, he’s tugging mightily on their coattails." — Kansas City Star Posted Oct 12, 2007 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Rotten 30%
| The Heartbreak Kid (2007) | "
This must have been a great idea on paper." — Kansas City Star Posted Oct 5, 2007 |
Rotten 3/4
| Fresh 70%
| Moliere (2007) | "
As the film picks up momentum, however, it becomes the story of an aimless young man who discovers his own brilliant wit and learns how to use it. As he gets closer to the scathing, fearless Moliere we know and love, so does the movie." — Kansas City Star Posted Sep 21, 2007 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 38%
| Sydney White (2007) | "
Bynes still has plenty of charm, and Sydney White is too sweet and innocuous to damage her career. If she really wants to grow up on screen, though, she needs to graduate to better roles." — Kansas City Star Posted Sep 21, 2007 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 71%
| Golden Door (2007) | "
Although it has a gorgeous, lyrical visual style, it contains no stirring speeches or sentimentality." — Kansas City Star Posted Aug 10, 2007 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Rotten 39%
| No Reservations (2007) | "
It doesn’t have the freshness and inspiration of a gourmet meal, but it makes for a pretty decent reheated leftover." — Kansas City Star Posted Jul 27, 2007 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Rotten 53%
| Introducing The Dwights (2007) | "
Undeniably funny, pulling back just before it gets too cute or Jeannie gets too annoying. When the script can’t quite do the job, Blethyn uses all her charm and talent to compensate." — Kansas City Star Posted Jul 20, 2007 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 74%
| La Vie En Rose (2007) | "
Cotillard holds all this together through sheer force of talent and will and makes Piaf the most likable crazy, morphine-addicted drunk in movie history." — Kansas City Star Posted Jun 22, 2007 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Fresh 69%
| Ocean's Thirteen (2007) | "
Ocean’s Thirteen is enjoyable fluff and a testament to how far wit and charisma can carry a film. In a summer full of wholly unnecessary sequels, this is the best one so far. That may be faint praise, but for this franchise, it’s a big step up." — Kansas City Star Posted Jun 8, 2007 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 95%
| Offside (2006) | "
It’s not exactly exciting material, but Panahi’s gentle humor and sense of realism keep it from becoming dull." — Kansas City Star Posted Jun 1, 2007 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 96%
| Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea (2007) | "
[Provides] a funny, poignant tribute to a most unusual place and the people who somehow call it home." — Kansas City Star Posted May 11, 2007 |
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