Splat |
Frost/Nixon (2008) |
"Its boxing metaphor plays out in such mind-numbingly literal terms, there might as well have been a woman in a bikini announcing the beginning of each day's interview." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 3.5/4 |
The Bucket List (2007) |
"The only Ang Lee film where he shows even a modicum of originality in his direction or any real personality or interesting visual flair." |
Derek Smith |
Splat 1.5/4 |
Little Miss Sunshine (2006) |
"It remains stuck in a limbo state that more and more indie films find themselves these days, because of its non-committal attitude." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 2.5/4 |
A Prairie Home Companion (2006) |
"With A Prairie Home Companion, Robert Altman has once again showcased his talent for creating complex, insular worlds for his characters to inhabit." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 65/100 |
Downfall (2005) |
"Downfall takes on the unenviable task of portraying [Hitler] as a man, rather than a caricature or parody as the norm has dictated." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 4/4 |
Funny Ha Ha (2005) |
"One of the most accurate portrayals of post-collegiate disillusionment" |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 4/4 |
Grizzly Man (2005) |
"Offers the best that non-fiction films have to offer, where the filmmaker is able to interact with, rather than simply react to, his subject..." |
Derek Smith |
Splat 32/100 |
Hwal (2005) |
"A painful experience that no amount of eye candy can make up for." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 83/100 |
Last Days (2005) |
"Van Sant again sidesteps all of the typical narrative trappings and here his style clearly justifies itself." |
Derek Smith |
Splat 40/100 |
Mad Hot Ballroom (2005) |
"It's amazing how little we end up knowing about the specific schools and the environment where these kids come from and how much time we're left watching them look cute." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 65/100 |
Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005) |
"Walks a thin line between sincerity and pretension, but ultimately deals with enough issues head-on to make the occassionally excessive quirkiness forgivable." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 4/4 |
The New World (2005) |
"A melancholy revery of a time when nature provided a spiritual sustenance that could not be replaced by religious or social order." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 73/100 |
Rize (2005) |
"The dancing, which at first may seem purely ridiculous, becomes an expression of their tortured souls" |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 59/100 |
Where The Truth Lies (2005) |
"A delightfully seedy mystery who's joy lies only in the journey." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 4/4 |
The World (2005) |
"The World is less a condemnation of the current state of the world than an attempt to explain and come to terms with it." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 4/4 |
Broken Wings (2004) |
"'The characters are so ordinary and identifiable helping to make it a more universal approach to the way human beings deal with tragedy'" |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 3/4 |
Control Room (2004) |
"'The press, not war, is the necessary evil in Control Room and information is now more powerful than missiles.'" |
Derek Smith |
Splat |
Garden State (2004) |
"'the biggest problems lie in the simplistic nature of the characters and the reliance on quirkiness, rather than genuine, realistic emotion, to connect with its audience.'" |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 4/4 |
I Heart Huckabees (2004) |
"The clever, light-hearted manner that the flurry of philosophical inquiries are tossed our way kept a smile on my face and gave me that warm, fuzzy feeling inside" |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 72/100 |
The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004) |
"There is a distinct sense that Anderson is trying to re-invent himself with this film." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 3/4 |
Primer (2004) |
"'By avoiding cheesy revelations and typical characters arcs, Carruth has created a small but intelligent film bursting at the seams with ideas.'" |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 2.5/4 |
City of God (2003) |
"'It's unfortunate that what should be an emotionally-engaging film is so completely unaffecting'" |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 4/4 |
Elephant (2003) |
"'Van Sant is humble enough to admit that he knows no better than the rest of us yet intelligent enough to dramatize the misunderstandings and confusion of such a situation.'" |
Derek Smith |
Splat 1.5/4 |
Naqoyqatsi (2002) |
"Socially aware, but so nihilistic and fatalistic that it's irrelevant since it is unwilling to push towards the social change that the prior films supported so adamently." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 3/4 |
What Time Is It There? (2002) |
"The film's understated humor and relatable character's steer us towards feelings of compassion and understanding, rather than pity." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 4/4 |
In Praise of Love (2001) |
"Love, in Godard’s case, is indistinguishable from cinema and thus he sees the growing capitalist machine as a threat to both." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 3/4 |
Tape (2001) |
"Linklater is testing the boundaries of what can be done with digital video, thematically as well as visually." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 93/100 |
Werckmeister Harmonies (2001) |
"It is an arduous task, but the film achieves a transcendent and ethereal beauty that only the few truly great masterpieces attain." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 71/100 |
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) |
"its tongue-in-cheek humor effortlessly gives way to poignant drama and period musical pieces throughout." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 4/4 |
Magnolia (1999) |
"Marks the arrival of a great, if not the greatest, modern director" |
Derek Smith |
Splat 2/5 |
Me Myself I (1999) |
No article available. |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 4/4 |
Rosetta (1999) |
"'An unflinching portrait of the dehumanizing effects of being forced to live hand-to-mouth with no real hope of escaping.'" |
Derek Smith |
Splat 2/5 |
Dead Man on Campus (1998) |
No article available. |
Derek Smith |
Splat 2/4 |
Perfect Blue (1997) |
"[An] nime thriller [that] often plays as an examination of identity and celebrity, but ultimately gets so lost in its own complex structure that it doesn't end up saying much at all." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 4/4 |
The Sweet Hereafter (1997) |
"Molds the past, present, and future into a tapestry of the cyclical nature of human suffering." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 3/5 |
2 Days In The Valley (1996) |
No article available. |
Derek Smith |
Splat 2/5 |
The Great White Hype (1996) |
No article available. |
Derek Smith |
Splat 0/5 |
The City of Lost Children (1995) |
No article available. |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 90/100 |
Heat (1995) |
"It is a remarkably powerful, entertaining and invigorating piece of cinema that hits on more levels than seemingly possible." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 3/5 |
The Last Supper (1995) |
No article available. |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 3/5 |
Wallace & Gromit - A Close Shave (1995) |
No article available. |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 73/100 |
The Age of Innocence (1993) |
"The great tragedy is that the hypocrisies that Newland and Olenska work to reveal are the very same ones that ultimately destroy everything passionate and human within them." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 3/5 |
The Firm (1993) |
No article available. |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 3/4 |
Benny's Video (1992) |
"Similar to The Seventh Continent, this film's objective is to analyze and deconstruct the effects rather than senselessly guess their causes" |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 3/5 |
Bugsy (1991) |
No article available. |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 4/4 |
Nouvelle Vague (1990) |
"Nouvelle Vague may be Godard’s most complex and layered film, but attempting to unlock its secrets makes it one of his most rewarding." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 4/4 |
Trust (1990) |
"A bold film that defies logic and the rules of screenwriting" |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 4/4 |
The Seventh Continent (1989) |
"A stunning examination of the effects of emotional isolation and the inability to communicate in the modern age." |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 4/4 |
Die Hard (1988) |
"'A landmark film that breathed life and originality into an area of cinema where only formulas were proven reliable.'" |
Derek Smith |
Tomato 70/100 |
The Firm (1988) |
"A jarring exploration of the male psyche and the devastating consequences of pride and uncontained machismo in a society where men's lives have lost meaning." |
Derek Smith |
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