Splat 1/4
Nacho Libre (2006)
"There's a fine line between funny and stupid, and director Jared Hess can't find it."
Forrest Hartman
Splat C+
Naked Lunch (1991)
"There are no great scenes, just flat moments of weirdness with lots of schlorping noises."
Mark Robison
Splat 2/4
Nancy Drew (2007)
"Although passable, Nancy Drew would feel right at home on the Disney Channel or Nickelodeon, which means the real mystery is how it ended up with a widespread theatrical release."
Tomato 3/4
Narc (2002)
"Sacramento filmmaker Joe Carnahan grabs viewers by the throat."
Tomato B+
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
"The best of the four “Vacation” movies."
Tomato B
National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)
"Chevy Chase is hilarious as the dad obsessed with having a good time."
The Nativity Story (2006)
"Because Nativity is so traditional, it doesn't bring anything new to the table, but it does offer a beautifully shot and terrifically acted Bible story that should last for generations."
Tomato
Near Dark (1987)
"This is one of the classics, and the two-disc treatment is great."
Tomato 3.5/4
Network (1976)
"One would assume that a 1976 film about network television would feel dated today, but director Sidney Lumet and screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky had such a fine concept that Network seems downright contemporary."
Tomato 4/4
The New World (2005)
"An instant classic."
New York Firefighters: The Brotherhood of 9/11 (2002)
"Interviews with surviving firefighters and family members of victims are heart-wrenching, and they personalize the horror."
Splat 2.5/4
Night Watch (2005)
"The film is fascinating - albeit sluggish - until the final reel. At that point, the vampire-hunter hero makes a crucial decision at odds with everything we know about his character."
Splat B-
Nip/Tuck: The Complete First Season (2003)
"Soap-opera writing sabotages a good premise."
No End (1985)
"A brilliant opening scene, but the political message is weak."
North Country (2005)
"Minimizes the scope of [the real plaintiff's] legal battles by placing them in a neatly tied package that resolves the way most courtroom dramas do."
The Notebook (2004)
"A fine tale that will leave romantics everywhere misty eyed."
The Notorious Bettie Page (2006)
"A cardboard portrayal that acknowledges Page's reputed braininess, yet argues that she didn't understand the implications of her sultry photographs."
November (2005)
"Wants to be smarter than it is."
Novocaine (2001)
"In a world filled with technically beautiful dogs, every once in awhile it’s nice to see a film that bets the bank on great storytelling and a whole lot of soul."
Tomato A
Nowhere in Africa (2003)
"The acting is wonderful throughout, and director Carole Link has crafted a tale with the dramatic scope of a great epic. The English Patient comes to mind."
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