Tomato 3/5 |
2012 (2009) |
"If you’re the kind of movie goer who will happily munch popcorn at the sight of the apocalypse, 2012 will do the trick just nicely. And nastily." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 3.5/5 |
9 (2009) |
"While it must be said that dialogue and storytelling flow are not Acker’s strong suits, the immersive power of his imagery is undeniable." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 4.5/5 |
Adventureland (2009) |
"While many movies have danced the "it was the summer where ..." tango before, few have done it with such grace, guile and good humour as Adventureland." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Splat 1.5/5 |
Amelia (2009) |
"Swanks’ clear shot at a third statuette is blocked by hulkingly dull writing and direction that could point the way towards a definitive cure for insomnia." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Splat 0/5 |
Antichrist (2009) |
"This woman-hating, audience-baiting, nerve-grating tripe gets off to a rancid start, and then just rots away before your very eyes for 104 stupefying minutes." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Splat 2.5/5 |
Astro Boy (2009) |
"What transpires is a tolerable knock-off of the boom-boom bits from The Incredibles, along with some so-so slapstick filler." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato |
Avatar (2009) |
"If this is the future of filmmaking, then bring it on, I say." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 3/5 |
Away We Go (2009) |
"Away We Go is merely a bemused sigh of relief. It is not the most memorable film of recent times, but does little wrong as it goes about its business." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 3/5 |
Beautiful Kate (2009) |
"Make no mistake, this is a well-worn structure around which to frame an intense and wordy drama. However, Ward keeps the tale’s trump cards expertly concealed for as long as feasibly is possible." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Splat 2/5 |
The Box (2009) |
"Certain parts of it are maddeningly inspired. The sum of all its parts will just make you mad." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Splat 2.5/5 |
The Boys Are Back (2009) |
"The film plods along unremarkably -- even Joe’s unorthodox rearing techniques lose their surprise factor after a while -- but does remain true to itself right to the bitter(sweet) end." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 4/5 |
Bright Star (2009) |
"Your heart will break, your head will swoon, and you will hope against hope for a happy ending that history will not permit." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 3.5/5 |
Broken Embraces (2009) |
"A cubist soap opera with enough time-shifted twists and turns to induce travel sickness, Broken Embraces is a distinctly disposable offering from Almodovar. Nevertheless, even his throwaway efforts would be considered absolute keepers by most filmmakers." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 3/5 |
The Brothers Bloom (2009) |
"This eccentric affair pretty much gets away with everything it tries, save for the occasional muffed joke and sudden mood swing." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Splat |
Bruno (2009) |
"While Cohen's taboo-breaking audacity remains in full force throughout Bruno, his ability to keep the big laughs on a roll has waned this time around." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 3/5 |
Cactus (2008) |
"This raw and ultra-basic film is more an exercise in building cinematic claustrophobia than servicing a traditional narrative." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 3.5/5 |
Capitalism: A Love Story (2009) |
"Capitalism : A Love Story marks a minor return to form for Moore, whose tactical agenda and questionable methods as a documentary filmmaker have dented his standing in recent years." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Splat 1/5 |
Case 39 (2010) |
"It is universally terrible in virtually every department, save for the creepy charisma displayed by young Ferland." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 3.5/5 |
Che, Part One (2008) |
"Overall, a worthwhile venture if you have always wanted to know more about Guevara’s controversial legacy, but were unsure where to start." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 3/5 |
Cheri (2009) |
"The intense chemistry between Pfeiffer and Friend is what really elevates Cheri above the sum of its slender parts." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 3/5 |
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008) |
"All in all, a solid and respectable entry to the ledger." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 4/5 |
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (2009) |
"The story outlined here is engagingly ridiculous, and the visual opportunities suggested by the book and expanded by the screenplay look stunning when seen in 3-D." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Splat 2/5 |
Cold Souls (2009) |
"In Cold Souls, it is time for more metaphysical mucking about with an actor playing a pretentiously remixed version of his real self." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 3/5 |
Departures (2009) |
"Like the art of encoffinment itself, Departures unfolds with a delicacy and precision that slowly captivates the viewer." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 4/5 |
Disgrace (2009) |
"Australian filmmaker Steve Jacobs also covers himself in glory here, addressing Coetzee’s provocative prose with an insightful restraint that was nowhere to be seen in his directorial debut, La Spagnola." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 3.5/5 |
Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009) |
"This motion-capture animated adaptation is a real Christmas cracker." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 4/5 |
Drag Me To Hell (2009) |
"Wit, invention and shrewdly earned shocks abound in Drag Me to Hell. This burst blood-vessel of B-movie brilliance makes Raimi’s rivals look like the corpse-grinding charlatans they truly are." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Splat 2.5/5 |
Eagle Eye (2008) |
"This big, bone-headed and unintentionally laughable techno-fear thriller is a movie in one hell of a hurry." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 2.5/5 |
The Final Destination (2009) |
"The new film has been expertly shot in 3-D, and the extra dimension does punch-up the impact of the franchise’s famously intricate set- piece snuffings." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 3/5 |
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008) |
"Some the magical images conjured here are absolutely unforgettable." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Splat 2.5/5 |
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) |
"The film continually shifts in and out of coherency, much a like a radio trying to fix on a station broadcasting from far, far away." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Splat 2/5 |
The Invention of Lying (2009) |
"A high-concept comedy with a low yield of laughs, The Invention of Lying fights a losing battle with what was never a winning idea for a movie." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Splat 5.5/5 |
Is Anybody There? (2009) |
"Director John Crowley overestimates the comedic potential of daily life for the elderly and infirmed. Thankfully, the casual, unforced chemistry between Caine and Milner is strong enough to suppress Is Anybody There?’s cornie" |
Leigh Paatsch |
Splat 2/5 |
It Might Get Loud (2009) |
"It cannot be said that any member of this trio is the most gifted conversationalist known to man. In fact, once pleasantries are out of the way, they barely have anything of note to say to one another." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 3/5 |
Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008) |
"The utopian ecosystem setting - dominated by lush rainforests and vast oceans - is magnificent to gawk at, and the 3D cinematography makes fine use of the prehistoric wildlife and unexplained phenomena." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Splat 2/5 |
Mao's Last Dancer (2009) |
"If anything, veteran director Bruce Beresford and his screenwriter Jan Sardi (Shine) have played it too safe. Too many soft cliches obscure the hard facts of what Cunxin endured during the tumultuous time covered here." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Splat 2.5/5 |
My Sister's Keeper (2009) |
"Though the motives of My Sister’s Keeper will seem dubious to some, there is no denying the performances on display keep everything in the realm of the watchable." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 3/5 |
My Year Without Sex (2009) |
"While there are occasions where the film appears to be going nowhere in particular, the undeniable believability of the characters makes the wait for a return to relevance simply whiz by." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 3/5 |
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009) |
"When Night at the Museum 2 sticks to its preferred brand of high-jinks, it delivers upon its promise of plenty of throwaway fun for the all-ages crowd." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 3.5/5 |
Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation! (2009) |
"An incredibly energetic and merrily messed-up celebration of Australian B-movies." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Splat 2/5 |
Nowhere Boy (2009) |
"If this turgid biopic of the young John Lennon was a musical instrument, it would be an untuned, one-string guitar." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 4/5 |
The Orphanage (2007) |
"The film’s writer and director (both first-timers under the patronage of Pan’s Labyrinth ace Guillermo del Toro) both excel themselves at using familiar scary tricks to bring about totally unforeseen shocks." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Splat 2/5 |
Planet 51 (2009) |
"The screenplay aims wide for every snappy, pop-culture joke that can possibly be cracked. But the viewer’s funnybone remains an elusive target." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Splat 2/5 |
Prime Mover (2009) |
"There is barely enough to Prime Mover’s story to sustain a full-length feature, let alone the attention of restless viewers." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 3/5 |
The Proposal (2009) |
"The Proposal works up such a fun vibe that you couldn’t care less about the contrived schematics of its story." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 4.5/5 |
Public Enemies (2009) |
"Over 140 minutes that genuinely fly by, Mann crafts a highly atmospheric and emotion-charged movie experience that is sure to be remembered as a touchstone release of 2009." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 3/5 |
Red Cliff (2009) |
"Woo revels in a gritty realism that genuinely imparts both the brutality and creativity of ancient warfare." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Splat 2.5/5 |
Religulous (2008) |
"So if you are not already on-side with [Maher's] particular leanings, the pickings in Religulous are very slim indeed." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 4.5/5 |
Samson and Delilah (2009) |
"This astonishing, unworldly and brutally straightforward film has the capacity to challenge and change perceptions of what an Australian film can be." |
Leigh Paatsch |
Tomato 3.5/5 |
A Serious Man (2009) |
"A Serious Man takes [the Coens'] caustic brand of chicanery to a whole new level." |
Leigh Paatsch |
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