Tomato 3/4 |
The Baader Meinhof Complex (2009) |
"This dramatic film documents a decade of near-anarchy in Germany, beginning with a brutal 1967 police riot." |
Stephen Whitty |
Splat 2/4 |
Babel (2006) |
"The biblical themes are reflected in the film's multilingual dialogue, broad geographic scope and, you could add, its failed ambitions." |
Lisa Rose |
Tomato 3/4 |
Baby Mama (2008) |
"In the end, despite some complications, it successfully gives birth to a very happy event: The arrival of Tina Fey, movie star." |
Stephen Whitty |
Splat 2/4 |
The Babysitters (2008) |
"Although the film is pitched as dark comedy, there's nothing very funny about the sexualization of teenagers." |
Stephen Whitty |
Splat |
Bad Boys II (2003) |
"The perverse feat of Bad Boys II is that it's formulaic enough to serve as a format-compatible sequel to half the cop buddy capers ever made." |
Bob Campbell |
Tomato |
Bad Education (2004) |
"As usual ... it's Almodóvar who's the star here, filling the screen with bold compositions and melodramatic passion." |
Stephen Whitty |
Splat |
Bad Guy (2001) |
"As a case study of one disturbed woman it might be interesting; presented as some sort of deathless love story, it's merely distasteful." |
Stephen Whitty |
Tomato 2.5/4 |
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009) |
"Even when the movie is not working, it’s never less than eye-catching. It’s also a perfect setting for Cage’s curiously compelling art." |
Stephen Whitty |
Tomato 3/4 |
Bad News Bears (2005) |
"Bad News Bears pitches more than punchlines. The film has a moral, even if it doesn't explore the deepest themes." |
Lisa Rose |
Tomato |
Bad Santa (2003) |
"You'll find yourself warming to Bad Santa in spite of its blemishes, simply because it's different than any holiday tale that's come before, or is likely to assail multiplexes again." |
Lisa Rose |
Tomato 3/4 |
The Ballad of Greenwich Village (2005) |
"Director Karen Kramer, whose labor of love this clearly is, has assembled some remarkable footage." |
Stephen Whitty |
Splat |
The Ballad of Jack and Rose (2005) |
"Certainly there's no such thing as spending too much time with your child. Or is there?" |
Stephen Whitty |
Tomato |
Ballets Russes (2005) |
"Directors Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine have done a fine job of locating old footage of the companies -- much in color -- but an even better one of locating the company's old dancers." |
Stephen Whitty |
Tomato 2.5/4 |
Balls of Fury (2007) |
"Something of a surprise, Balls of Fury serves up sports thrills and a good amount of laughter..." |
Lisa Rose |
Tomato |
The Band's Visit (2007) |
"With its attention to detail and careful, naturalistic performances, it's a small slice of life." |
Stephen Whitty |
Tomato 3/4 |
Bandslam (2009) |
"Bandslam is hardly the definition of a great movie, but it is pleasant and bright and doesn't insult its audience's intelligence. And that's as rare and welcome as a well-crafted three-minute pop song." |
Stephen Whitty |
Tomato 2.5/4 |
The Bank Job (2008) |
"There's nothing here as lively as In Bruges or as arty as the recent London to Brighton. But if we are in a mini-renaissance of U.K. thrillers, even the so-so The Bank Job is a good reminder of what made them work to begin with." |
Stephen Whitty |
Tomato |
The Barbarian Invasions (2003) |
"If secular humanism were an actual religion, The Barbarian Invasions would be recognized as a religious masterpiece." |
Bob Campbell |
Splat |
Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004) |
"It isn't a bad hair day, just a limp, uninspired one." |
Lisa Rose |
Splat 2/4 |
Barnyard: The Original Party Animals (2006) |
"The movie still just plods along, and there's nothing very new here." |
Stephen Whitty |
Splat 2.5/4 |
Batman Begins (2005) |
"It's all a little disappointing, particularly given the talents involved." |
Stephen Whitty |
Splat 1/4 |
Battle for Terra (2009) |
"A cheap and tiresome outer space cartoon aimed at restless children, desperate parents and people who'll watch anything in 3-D." |
Stephen Whitty |
Splat 2/4 |
Battle in Seattle (2008) |
"For all its speeches and scary graphics, Townsend's script fails to make it clear why we should care today." |
Stephen Whitty |
Splat |
The Battle of Shaker Heights (2003) |
"The half an idea in Erica Beeney's script is reduced by another half through the disjointed directing of Efram Potelle and Kyle Rankin." |
Bob Campbell |
Splat 1.5/4 |
The Baxter (2005) |
"If [Showalter's] acting is misjudged, his direction is merely uninspired." |
Stephen Whitty |
Tomato |
Be Cool (2005) |
"Travolta's best film in years -- as well as a one-man summation (with occasional sidebars) of what it means to be an icon." |
Stephen Whitty |
Tomato 3/4 |
Be Kind Rewind (2008) |
"Michel Gondry doesn't understand -- or, perhaps, even care about -- the normal niceties of plausible plotting, thematic structure or satisfying character development. But he does understand joy." |
Stephen Whitty |
Splat 1/4 |
The Beat That My Heart Skipped (2005) |
"A mess of pretense, too hip and cool to concern itself with emotional logic or narrative cohesion." |
Lisa Rose |
Tomato 3/4 |
The Beauty Academy of Kabul (2006) |
"It may sound a little silly at first, but The Beauty Academy of Kabul, a new documentary, illustrates the good sense behind it." |
Stephen Whitty |
Splat 2.5/4 |
Beauty Shop (2005) |
"The film resides in the realm of mediocrity, dreadful in spots, enjoyable on occasion, and disposable throughout." |
Lisa Rose |
Splat 1.5/4 |
Because I Said So (2007) |
"The jokes are crude and repetitious." |
Lisa Rose |
Splat |
Because of Winn-Dixie (2005) |
"Winn-Dixie has everything but the drama, and while that doesn't make it a dog, it never raises it above the status of stuffed toy." |
Stephen Whitty |
Tomato 3/4 |
Becoming Jane (2007) |
"The film is still charming enough, both for its performances and its lovely look at Jane Austen's most devoted suitor of all -- a pristine page, begging her attention, wanting nothing but her words." |
Stephen Whitty |
Splat 2.5/4 |
Bee Movie (2007) |
"The movie has some pretty pictures and a few good jokes, but not nearly enough. And the story suffers from sitcom attention-deficit disorder, veering off in a new direction every half-hour or so." |
Stephen Whitty |
Splat 2/4 |
Bee Season (2005) |
"Bee Season ... goes vaguely out of focus from the beginning." |
Stephen Whitty |
Tomato 2.5/4 |
Been Rich All My Life (2006) |
"These women deserve some fond acclaim for their attempts to conquer age." |
Stephen Whitty |
Splat 2/4 |
Beer League (2006) |
"Does the movie hit a home run? Hardly. But it's at least a single." |
Stephen Whitty |
Splat 2/4 |
Beerfest (2006) |
"It's amusing on occasion, but also garbled, repetitious and potentially offensive." |
Lisa Rose |
Tomato |
Before Sunset (2004) |
"The film ultimately depicts thirtysomething melancholy just as effectively as its predecessor portrayed Gen-X romanticism." |
Lisa Rose |
Splat 2.5/4 |
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007) |
"As deliberately provocative and in-your-face ugly as this film is, it still plays as second-rate Tarantino instead of first-rate Lumet." |
Stephen Whitty |
Splat |
Being Julia (2004) |
"Everything is in place for a tour de force film. Yet the end result is so lackluster and pedestrian, a more fitting title is Being and Nothingness." |
Lisa Rose |
Splat |
Benji Off the Leash (2004) |
"Long before the happy ending arrives, even the most dedicated dog lover will have ceased to care." |
Stephen Whitty |
Tomato 3/4 |
Beowulf (2007) |
"It is --quite literally -- an epic achievement." |
Stephen Whitty |
Tomato |
The Best of Youth (2005) |
"It's a human-scale saga you'll remember." |
Stephen Whitty |
Splat 2/4 |
Bewitched (2005) |
"Kidman is enchanting, true, and Caine, MacLaine and Chenoweth work hard, but even with the few good gags sprinkled throughout, you don't leave the theater smiling. The spell fades. The magic just isn't there." |
Stephen Whitty |
Splat 1/4 |
Beyond the Sea (2004) |
"If there is a point, Spacey never makes it clear, nor manages to fully illuminate the people in Darin's orbit." |
Stephen Whitty |
Splat |
The Big Bounce (2004) |
"The movie is as pleasant as a sea breeze, but it slacks in the substance department." |
Lisa Rose |
Tomato |
Big Fish (2003) |
"Burton's best film since Edward Scissorhands." |
Stephen Whitty |
Tomato 2.5/4 |
Big Man Japan (2009) |
"It's as much fun as an old, popcorn-throwing kiddie matinee of Destroy All Monsters -- and far funnier intentionally than most superhero movies are accidentally." |
Stephen Whitty |
Splat 1.5/4 |
Big Momma's House 2 (2006) |
"Big Momma may be larger than life, but the shtick is older than old." |
Lisa Rose |
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