Splat |
The Sacrifice (1986) |
"Tarkovsky’s film will be forever confined to a dark cul-de-sac in the arthouse ghetto because of its sheer monotony." |
Rob Daniel |
Splat 2/5 |
Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic (2005) |
"Ultimately, it's difficult to resist…especially when she comes out with lines like: "I don't care if you think I'm racist - I just want you to think I'm thin."" |
Tim Evans |
Tomato 4/5 |
The Savages (2007) |
"The pleasures are small but intense and the spell cast in one of the most surprisingly moving films of the year is captivating." |
Tim Evans |
Splat 2/5 |
Scar |
"Despite it's technical savvy, this pans out as merely the latest in the dispiriting procession of torture porn movies while the dreary identification of the perp doesn't raise the excitement levels much higher than a half-hearted game of Cluedo." |
Tim Evans |
Tomato 4/5 |
Scarface (1983) |
"Pacino's drug-crazed, bloodshot performance gives this gangster movie a terrifying edge." |
Rob Daniel |
Splat 2/5 |
The Secret Life of Bees (2008) |
"From the producer of X-Men… comes the dullest, gooiest chick-flick of the year." |
Elliott Noble |
Splat 2/5 |
The Secret of Moonacre (2008) |
"The cast looks vaguely uncomfortable too. Even shameless scenery-chewer Curry can’t muster any enthusiasm for an over-earnest script that throws around pearls of non-wisdom like moondust." |
Elliott Noble |
Splat 2/5 |
The Seeker (2007) |
"Imagine Time Bandits confined to a boring Berkshire village and drained of colour, and you can see why this pig’s ear of Susan Cooper’s well-received children’s story went belly-up at the US box office." |
Elliott Noble |
Splat |
Semi-Pro (2008) |
"According to the Ferrell method, the art of comedy characterisation is to put on a straight face (daft hairstyle optional), bellow the first thing that comes to mind (rude words optional), race around like a child on a sugar rush… and repeat." |
Elliott Noble |
Tomato 3/5 |
The September Issue (2009) |
"Intimate knowledge of designer threads is not essential, and although this won't make you rush out and grab the latest Vogue, it does shake its little tush on the catwalk in a surprisingly agreeable way." |
Rob Daniel |
Tomato 4/5 |
Séraphine (2008) |
"A tender and intelligent glimpse of a life enriched both by her nascent talent and the affectionate devotion of Uhde’s protector." |
Tim Evans |
Tomato 4/5 |
A Serious Man (2009) |
"The Coen brothers most personal film to date, a typically shkrewy look at Jewishness that smartly nails the ticky-tackiness of American suburbia in 1967." |
Elliott Noble |
Splat 2/5 |
Seven Pounds (2008) |
"This is a 24-carat wallow in weapons grade mawkishness." |
Tim Evans |
Tomato 3/5 |
Sex Drive (2008) |
"It’s a keenly enjoyable celebration of teenage insecurity and – for hairy-handed teenage hordes – offers the first chance to see Amish breasts since Harrison Ford clocked Kelly McGillis in in Witness." |
Tim Evans |
Splat 2/5 |
Shadows in the Sun |
"Heartfelt and well-behaved, this slight story of a divorced man attempting a reconciliation with his prickly mum is gracefully watchable, but resistant to embrace any actual drama." |
Rob Daniel |
Tomato 3/5 |
Sherlock Holmes (2009) |
"At two-hours plus, it goes on a bit but Ritchie appears in his element working from someone else's script and Downey Jr brings real verve to role previously known for its starch and conformity." |
Tim Evans |
Tomato 3/5 |
Shifty (2008) |
"For a debut feature, Eran Creevy’s semi-autobiographical drama shows a remarkably light touch, set in an anonymous London suburbia far removed from stereotypical East End of the wideboy film tradition." |
Tim Evans |
Tomato 4/5 |
Shoot 'Em Up (2007) |
"Bullets through umbilical cords, shootouts during sex and gunfights in gun factories: this is one movie that does exactly what it says on the tin." |
Elliott Noble |
Tomato 3/5 |
Shorts (2009) |
"Kids will love this because it speaks directly to them, never patronises with crass product placement and also sends out a rather touching message that what really matters are friends…not mobile phone applications." |
Tim Evans |
Splat 2/5 |
Shrooms (2006) |
"Devoid of any real horror highs, it's a bit of a downer." |
Tim Stevens |
Tomato 4/5 |
Silent Night (2006) |
"The opening six-minute shot of dawn breaking over a rural landscape is worth the price of admission alone. Stunning." |
Tim Evans |
Tomato 4/5 |
Sin Nombre (2009) |
"It’s a tough watch. It’s also one of the best films of the year." |
Tim Evans |
Tomato |
The Singer (2006) |
"A minor work for the famous Gallic acting export, The Singer still leaves a song in the heart." |
Rob Daniel |
Tomato 3/5 |
Sleep Furiously (2008) |
"More a mood piece than a typical documentary, it takes time to acclimatise to Gideon Koppel's quiet study of life in his mum's Welsh village, but once you're in there is much to enjoy." |
Rob Daniel |
Tomato 3/5 |
Slepe Lásky (2008) |
"Using real people and a makeshift docu-drama style, Lehotsky provides a humbling insight into the lives of these folk, their hopes and fears and noble persistence in the face of a crushing adversity." |
Tim Evans |
Tomato 3/5 |
Sleuth (2007) |
"When Sylvester Stallone’s Get Carter is no longer the worst remake of a Michael Caine movie, you have to ask yourself: what’s it all about?" |
Elliott Noble |
Tomato 4/5 |
Slumdog Millionaire (2008) |
"Hard hearts may balk at the unashamed sentiment, black and white morality, and question-flashback contrivances, but let them eat pie and mash: this is a tangy banquet of smile-on-the-face feel good." |
Rob Daniel |
Tomato |
Small Engine Repair (2006) |
"Nashville comes to Northern Ireland in a low-key drama of tested friendships, unfulfilled ambitions and country music." |
|
Splat 2/5 |
Soi Cowboy (2009) |
"Soi Cowboy's wet concrete pacing, dialogue free scenes, and prolonged takes will test the patience of even the most understanding movie buff." |
Rob Daniel |
Tomato 3/5 |
The Soloist (2009) |
"Thankfully, there's no contrived Hollywood ending but you can't help thinking this is more a three-minute wonder than a dramatic symphony." |
Tim Evans |
Tomato 3/5 |
Someone Else (2006) |
"Debut writer-director Col Spector draws out richly detailed performances, particularly from Mangan, and the script is bursting with all-too-familiar break-up clichés that can only have been drawn from bitter experience." |
Tim Evans |
Tomato 4/5 |
Somers Town (2009) |
"Meadows is adamant that there was no corporate influence. But even without the benefit of the doubt, it can’t be denied that his extended short carries some sweet observations." |
Elliott Noble |
Splat 2/5 |
Sorority Row (2009) |
"The combination of gore and giggles can work. But where Scream was funny and knowing and peppered with genuine scares, Sorority Row seems happy merely to play dumb and make a joke of its own derivativeness." |
Elliott Noble |
Tomato 4/5 |
Soul Power (2009) |
"Capturing the site, the sounds, the smells, and the sweat of a major musical happening, Soul Power is irresistible." |
Rob Daniel |
Tomato 4/5 |
Sounds Like Teen Spirit |
"The feeling of unity and pride pierces even the hardest heart, particularly as many of these kids have experienced devastating conflicts in their homeland." |
Rob Daniel |
Splat 2/5 |
Space Chimps (2008) |
"The animation will dazzle undemanding tots, but the writers must have been paid peanuts for a script that flings around hit and (mostly) miss gags, ranging from fart funnies to Freudianism (!), like so much monkey mess." |
Rob Daniel |
Tomato 5/5 |
Spartacus (1960) |
"It is in the observation of human detail, and in many memorable little scenes that the film scores most heavily over other epics, and in which it finds an inner strength." |
|
Tomato 3/5 |
Special People (2007) |
"There's a refreshing lack of political correctness about Justin Edgar's budget comedy - it's an unflinching portrayal of the disabled as fully-functioning - and sometimes quite appalling - human beings and a droll challenge to lazy preconceptions." |
Tim Evans |
Splat 1/5 |
The Spell (2009) |
"The acting is like a Crossroads masterclass poorly served with a script that insists everybody treats demonic possession like it was a dose of the sniffles." |
Tim Evans |
Splat 2/5 |
The Spirit (2008) |
"The Spirit’s greatest crime is that it is so boring – encapsulated in a scene where the Spirit and the Octopus slug it out for an eternity as both are sucked into treacly mud." |
Rob Daniel |
Splat |
St. Trinian's (2009) |
"Innocence is entirely absent from this extremely dubious addition to the big-screen adventures of Ronald Searle’s cartoon creations." |
Elliott Noble |
Splat 2/5 |
St. Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold |
"Diehard fans will lap it up...but it's difficult to see it winning any new converts." |
Tim Evans |
Tomato 4/5 |
Star Trek (2009) |
"This is impressive stuff. Abrams moves the plot at breathtaking speed, yet still has time to feature heroic acts from all the original show's key players." |
Rich Phippen |
Tomato 3/5 |
Stardust (2007) |
"There's fantastical fun to be had here, but be sure to check cynicism at the door." |
Ruth Ford |
Tomato 4/5 |
State of Play (2009) |
"The pros, including sharp dialogue from a triumvirate of writers including Bourne scribbler Tony Gilroy, outweigh the cons in a polished, engrossing whydunnit you’ll want to see more than once." |
Rob Daniel |
Splat 2/5 |
Steep (2007) |
"Catch this on an IMAX screen if you're interested, but for a great movie about mountain-based triumphs of the human spirit check out the inspirational Blindsight instead." |
Rob Daniel |
Tomato 3/5 |
Step Brothers (2008) |
"Yet as Ferrell and Reilly babble, yell, and clobber themselves silly in the (fruitless) pursuit of laughs over 97 excruciating minutes, anyone who manages to complete this moronic marathon with them deserves a medal." |
Elliott Noble |
Splat 1/5 |
The Stepfather (2009) |
"This rehash - toned (and dumbed) down for adolescent audiences by the director responsible for taking the slash out of Prom Night - provides thin gruel." |
Elliott Noble |
Splat 2/5 |
Stone of Destiny (2008) |
"Those whose national football and cricket teams are led by an Italian and a South African respectively have little room to talk, but surely Scotland has enough homegrown filmmaking talent to stick it to we sassenachs without relying on the Yanks?" |
Elliott Noble |
Splat |
Strange Wilderness (2008) |
"A comedy wilderness." |
Tim Evans |
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