Sacred Planet (2003)

"The images are enthralling, as per usual with the giant IMAX format, and cover Alaskan glaciers, the desert Southwest, the jungles of Borneo, Thailand, the African plains, and the shores of New Zealand."

Sahara (2005)

"The movie is based on a novel by Cussler, who's reportedly sued the movie on the grounds that he was promised and denied ultimate script approval. More's the pity. He'd surely have given us an ironclad ending."

The Santa Clause 2 (2002)

"The weird thing about The Santa Clause 2, purportedly a children's movie, is that there is nothing in it to engage children emotionally."

Save the Last Dance (2001)

"Looks at interracial relationships from a fresh perspective and gives the audience something real to think about."

Saving Silverman (2001)

"Its headlong pursuit of lowbrow, slapstick laughs ... serve to dull what should have been edgy situations."

Say It Isn't So (2001)

"Nobody laughed harder at Dumber and Dumber than I did, but after seven years of this stuff, I think smart and smarter might be the way to go."

Scary Movie 3 (2003)

"Nielsen is not the deadpan laugh-getter he used to be, but Zucker could have done worse among Naked Gun alumni. O.J., for instance."

School for Scoundrels (2006)

"Everybody looks glum, and that's just how we feel."

Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004)

"As in the first movie, you can look at Monsters Unleashed and not find a single thing to like."

Scoop (2006)

"Check it out if you want more jokes about corned beef sandwiches, but don't be surprised to find they contain more corn than beef."

Scotland, PA (2002)

"[T]he movie's hit-or-miss comedy actually complements the director's scruffy approach, which makes a virtue of sloppiness while preserving the essence of this famous story."

Secondhand Lions (2003)

"Lions takes its cue from Garth, and it loves the colorful details of a story a little too much."

Secret Window (2004)

"Misses the sense of menace that it requires."

The Sentinel (2006)

"Director Clark Johnson gives The Sentinel a slick, professional veneer -- visually it resembles Tony Scott's Enemy of the State -- but there's no disguising the story problems."

Serenity (2005)

"Serenity lives by its wits rather than special effects."

Seven Pounds (2008)

"A self-styled romantic tragedy that doesn't know it's a horror movie."

Sex Drive (2008)

"The movie isn't fresh, but understands what it's copying well enough to to it well."

Shadow of the Vampire (2000)

"For all its cleverness and artistry, Shadow is rarely more than a cute idea."

Shall We Dance? (2004)

"Feels more American in origin: like Dirty Dancing III: The Viagra Years."

Shanghai Knights (2003)

"The feeling that drives Shanghai Knights is a general love of movie fun."

The Shape of Things (2003)

"I don't know if it's still possible for LaBute to surprise us the way he did with In the Company of Men, either with his cleverness or his nastiness, but he gives it his best shot here."

Shattered Glass (2003)

"Christensen is terrific as the deceptively boyish Glass, and his performance confirms the notion that people who act badly in George Lucas movies (he's Anakin Skywalker) aren't bad actors, they're just in George Lucas movies."

She Hate Me (2004)

"Lee seems to have no idea where he wants this satire to go."

Shooter (2007)

"It feels fat at more than two hours, and it's much less efficient than movies covering similar ground."

Shortbus (2006)

"I must admit I found Shortbus to be an unsuccessful hybrid -- effective neither as porn (it's often strangely unerotic) nor as art or storytelling."