Tomato 5/5 |
The Milk of Sorrow (2009) |
"Gently paced and exquisitely shot, this story - tinged with magical realism - tells of an anxious young woman finding her way in the world after the death of her mother." |
Simon Weaving |
Splat 2/5 |
Mirrors (2008) |
"Clunky dialogue sets up the film, unlikely backstory drives it along, and it all concludes in a ludicrous cataclysm of cinematic hyperbole." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 3.5/5 |
Moon (2009) |
"A moody, brooding low-key sci-fi feature that makes the most of the eeriness and solitude of long-distance separation to explore some very poignant themes of memory and existence." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 3/5 |
My Blueberry Nights (2008) |
"a languorously slow-baked affair" |
Simon Weaving |
Splat 2.5/5 |
My Life in Ruins (2009) |
"The words 'Starring Richard Dreyfuss' are a deal-breaker in my books, and it took a good 30 minutes after seeing them to unclench and enjoy My Life in Ruins." |
Cris Kennedy |
Splat 2/5 |
My Sister's Keeper (2009) |
"What starts as an exploration of the ethics of organ-donation and genetic selection, rapidly disintegrates into a sloppy, unstructured, tear-jerking mess." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 4/5 |
My Winnipeg (2008) |
"It'll stay with you and haunt you in the best possible way long after you left the cinema." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 4.5/5 |
Nowhere Boy (2009) |
"Visual artist Sam Taylor-Wood casts aside her moody conceptual art and directs a lively, insightful and slightly nostalgic look at the drama of John Lennon's formative years and his relationship with the two women who brought him up." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 3/5 |
Of Time and the City (2009) |
"This personal and poetic meditation on England's portside city of Liverpool is a nostalgic journey through archival footage accompanied by an eclectic collection of lyrical ramblings by writer/director Terence Davies." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 3/5 |
Orphan (2009) |
"Strange and nasty Esther is the consummate political player in a deadly game of unhappy families, in this fairly straightforward psychological thriller." |
Simon Weaving |
Splat 2/5 |
Passengers (2008) |
"An uneven and lifeless film that shifts from saccharine romance to supernatural thriller as Anne Hathaway helps a handful of survivors of a plane crash deal with the strange effects of their trauma." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 3/5 |
Pride and Glory (2008) |
"This predictable police corruption story with an A-list cast explores themes of family and honesty as two cop brothers uncover the dirt on their brother-in-law's violent activity, while senior cop Dad tries to keep things under control." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 3.5/5 |
The Reader (2008) |
"An intriguing journey: love story without love, war story without war, and ultimately a meditation upon our inability to normalise an understanding of what life would have been like for those living in Nazi Germany." |
Simon Weaving |
Splat 2.5/5 |
Red Cliff (2009) |
"John Woo's original two part epic telling of an ancient Chinese battle tale is amalgamated and cut to create a stylised but characterless piece with some spectacular fighting scenes." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 3.5/5 |
RocknRolla (2008) |
"A self conscious re-working of Guy Ritchie's now familiar style and storyworld." |
Simon Weaving |
Splat 1.5/5 |
Saw VI (2009) |
"No longer just gruesome but also morally bloodied, this franchise about games of death aimed at those who need to understand the value of life - grinds along, wringing out whatever cash is left in the original idea." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 3/5 |
Scary Movie 4 (2006) |
"By the time you get to see the fourth incarnation of any movie franchise, you should be pretty sure what you're in for %u2013 and this one is true to its brand. It's corny, mischievous and more than a tad tacky in places." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 3.5/5 |
Shall We Kiss? (2008) |
"This is a delicate and naïve piece of French fluff, part love story, part morality tale, part bedroom farce, and all very much in the style of writer-director-actor Emmanuel Mouret, a kind of comatose Woody Allen character." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 5/5 |
Sin Nombre (2009) |
"An epic and stunningly shot thriller about two young people crossing the gauntlet of Central America in their attempt to get to the USA." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 4.5/5 |
Sita Sings the Blues (2008) |
"An infectious, dazzling and poignant story about love and loyalty in both mythical India and modern America, and perfect proof that animation can work for adults." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 4.5/5 |
Slumdog Millionaire (2008) |
"Occasionally, far too occasionally, a film comes along that once again reminds you of the power of the cinematic experience: how movement, composition, light, colour and music can be stunningly shaped to create the most exquisite drama." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 3/5 |
Summer Hours (2009) |
"A fractured, ultra-naturalistic and detached examination of the significance of memory and the value of objects, explored through the story of three siblings dealing with their mother's death" |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 3.5/5 |
Sunshine Cleaning (2009) |
"Everything Amy Adams touches turns to gold, and even here where she is playing a character thoroughly down on her luck, she is luminous." |
Cris Kennedy |
Tomato 4/5 |
Thirst (2009) |
"The story of a noble priest resurrected as a vampire and plunged into a life of desire is opulently brought to the screen by one of South Korea's leading filmmakers." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 4.5/5 |
A Town Called Panic (2009) |
"A deliriously wild and totally charming ride from start to finish, as Cowboy, Indian and Horse charge all over the world in a whimsical assault of fun." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 3.5/5 |
Transporter 3 (2008) |
"A preposterous, over the top and entertaining return of Frank Martin, the courier who delivers anything without question. Forget the ludicrous plot and just sit back and enjoy the fight and driving sequences." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 3/5 |
Two Fists, One Heart (2008) |
"Boxer turned screenwriter Rai Fazio tries hard to create a father-son boxing drama based on his own experiences, but instead turns out a clichéd genre piece nicely shot with an edgy hand-held style" |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 3/5 |
The Uninvited (2009) |
"A standard supernatural thriller, carefully and thoughtfully crafted with little sign of cheap gore, about two sisters coping with the death of their mother and the arrival of Dad's new girlfriend." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 3/5 |
Valentino: the Last Emperor (2009) |
"You don't have to be a fashionista to get something out of this unique documentary about the famous designer, his way of working, and his long term relationship with business partner Giancarlo Giammetti." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 3.5/5 |
Valkyrie (2008) |
"A thrilling political war movie that sees Tom Cruise and a stellar British cast of high-ranking German officers plot to assassinate Hitler and end the war before the Germany they love is destroyed." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 4/5 |
The Vicious Kind (2009) |
"In a sharply scripted comic drama, Brittany Snow stars as the pensive Emma, a girl caught between two quite different brothers." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 3.5/5 |
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) |
"Allen has definitely made something special with this charming, light and warm romantic comedy." |
Simon Weaving |
Tomato 4.5/5 |
The Wrestler (2008) |
"Great art is sometimes difficult viewing, and such is Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler, a film that will be remembered as Mickey Rourke's greatest screen triumph." |
Simon Weaving |
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