Tomato 2.5/4 |
A/K/A Tommy Chong (2005) |
"Even those unimpressed with [Cheech and Chong's] genially lowbrow work will be intrigued by the political tenor of this portrait." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Splat 2/4 |
Accepted (2006) |
"Like its underachieving protagonist, Steve Pink's teen comedy Accepted flashes just enough charm to get by but is too lazy to really make anything of itself." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 2.5/4 |
Acts of Worship (2001) |
"For better and worse, Rosemary Rodriguez's directing debut feels just like what it is -- a drama about addiction made by a recovering addict." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 2/4 |
Adam & Steve (2006) |
"Co-stars Parker Posey and Chris Kattan offer minor diversions, but the humor never rises to the quality any New Yorker, regardless of sexual orientation, would expect." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 3/4 |
Adam's Apples (2007) |
"Designed to elicit as many gasps as laughs, Anders Thomas Jensen's pitch-black comedy offers an audaciously skewed take on good vs. evil." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 3/4 |
Adored - Diary of a Porn Star (2004) |
"A vanity project so preposterous it deserves to become an instant camp hit." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Splat 2/5 |
Adventures of Power (2009) |
"It's not the rough edges that bother here; it's the desperate attempt to capture Napoleon Dynamite's success by relying on oddball characters and off-the-wall scenarios." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 3/4 |
After The Wedding (2007) |
"The characters may suffer once the bride walks down the aisle, but [director] Bier, [writer] Jensen and their first-rate cast work together like a match made in heaven." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 2.5/4 |
Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London (2004) |
"With lots of cool gadgets, plenty of silliness and a clever concept guaranteed to appeal to preteens, this should be an unflagging, high-octane romp." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 3/4 |
The Aggressives (2005) |
"In a movie that deals with controversial sexual, racial and class issues, the boldest observation is the most basic: that we each have the right to define our own realities, and live comfortably within them." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 2.5/4 |
Agnes and His Brothers (2006) |
"Whenever he takes the time to line up his toxic arrows, usually with the help of a compellingly squirmy Bleibtreu, he hits the bull's-eye." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 3/4 |
Al Otro Lado (2006) |
"We're left unable to get the music -- and the musicians -- out of our heads." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 3/4 |
Alice's House (2007) |
"Some stories, Teixeira is wise enough to realize, are best left unadorned." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Splat 2/4 |
Alpha Dog (2007) |
"Who would have thought that a real-life tale of sex, drugs and murder could be so instantly forgettable?" |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Splat 1.5/4 |
Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007) |
"Oh, come on. Do you really care? And even if you do, you shouldn't." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 3/5 |
America The Beautiful (2008) |
"Though not the most sophisticated movie, Darryl Roberts' earnest documentary gets its points across with enough power to make it a valuable experience for both adolescent girls and their parents." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 2.5/4 |
America's Heart and Soul (2004) |
"Even if [Schwartzberg's] choices feel somewhat clichéd, there's no doubting the spirit of his subjects, who seem genuinely proud to share their thoughts and feelings for a few, too brief moments." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Splat 2/5 |
American Casino (2009) |
"The movie's lack of Michael Moore-style dynamism has a dulling effect." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 3/5 |
American Swing (2009) |
"Directors Jon Hart and Matthew Kaufman don’t delve deeply enough into the psyche of club founder Larry Levenson or the culture he exploited. But they do present an entertaining snapshot of his brief reign as New York’s self-appointed King of Swing." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 3/5 |
American Teen (2008) |
"In Nanette Burstein's high school documentary, every kid is either a brain, an athlete, a basket case or a princess. Still, Burstein makes a strong case that there's a lot of truth to those clichés." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 2.5/4 |
Amu (2005) |
"[Director Bose] has a genuine gift for atmosphere, making the many wordless scenes, in teeming streets and on crowded trains, the movie's best." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 3/4 |
Andy Warhol: A Documentary Film (2006) |
"We need all four hours, and even more, to understand the man who so prophetically divided the world into 15-minute increments." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 2.5/4 |
Angel-A (2007) |
"The beautiful black-and-white photography -- and disappointingly sappy ending -- are the only remotely sober elements here, thanks to Besson's loopy script and Debbouze's very funny turn as a loser who simply can't believe his luck." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 3/5 |
Angels & Demons (2009) |
"You won't remember many of the stops after the movie ends, but at least you'll enjoy the ride." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 2.5/4 |
Antonia (2007) |
"...the unpolished actors and raw São Paolo setting offer an unusually authentic feel." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 4/5 |
Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2009) |
"If you’re having a rough day, take solace from these middle-aged rockers, who brave untold setbacks purely because they insist on believing that some dreams never die." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 3/5 |
Appaloosa (2008) |
"Though the leads do fine work, their efforts often feel slightly futile." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Splat 2/4 |
Appleseed (2004) |
"Though Appleseed has its selling points, it's not an especially strong entry in the genre, despite the presence of so many pneumatic heroines." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Splat 1.5/4 |
April's Shower (2006) |
"If there is a single phrase that should strike fear in the hearts of innocent moviegoers, it is 'writer-director- producer-star.'" |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 2.5/4 |
Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theatres (2007) |
"So insane it approaches a sort of mad brilliance, this full-length Cartoon Network spinoff must have been made with chemical enhancement in mind. Enter with a clear head at your own risk." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Splat 2/4 |
Are We Done Yet? (2007) |
"Carr tries to put one over on us by tacking on a sentimental ending. But as any homeowner could have told him, you can't disguise a weak foundation with a cheap finish." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Splat 1/4 |
Are We There Yet? (2005) |
"Are we laughing yet?" |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Splat 2/4 |
Arranged (2007) |
"For a movie meant to shake viewers out of their ignorance, this clunky drama sure does indulge in a lot of stereotypes." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Splat 2/4 |
The Aryan Couple (2004) |
"A few genuinely tense scenes are not enough to overcome a thin script, weak direction and an unceasingly high-strung score." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 3/5 |
As Seen Through These Eyes (2009) |
"Though Maya Angelou is enlisted as the solemn narrator of Hilary Helstein's Holocaust documentary, the survivors here need no help expressing their own tragedies." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Splat 2/5 |
Astro Boy (2009) |
"David Bowers' retro-cool update on the titular icon looks so great, it may take a while to notice it's a clunky political parable wrapped in a tonally confused fairy tale." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 3/5 |
August (2008) |
"There's not much to it, but Austin Chick's hyper-focused indie does serve as a nicely assured showcase for lead Josh Hartnett." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Splat 1.5/4 |
August Rush (2007) |
"It would be nice to say this predictable fantasy has such a big heart, we can forgive its excesses. But director Kirsten Sheridan overplays nearly every already-corny scene." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 2.5/4 |
Aurora Borealis (2006) |
"The latest Dawson's Creek alumnus to break out of his WB bonds, Joshua Jackson proves himself all grown up in this sweetly scrappy indie." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Splat 2/5 |
Australia (2008) |
"Though Luhrmann starts with plenty of potential, he squanders it almost immediately." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 3/4 |
Avenue Montaigne (2007) |
"Rarely has Paris seemed more enchanting than in Danièle Thompson's optimistic ode to Gallic romance." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Tomato 3.5/4 |
Away From Her (2007) |
"Every actress who's ever frozen her emotions with Botox should be forced to watch this film before returning to the plastic surgeon's office. It's the lines in Christie's face -- deeply etched, deeply earned -- that make her so heartbreakingly lovely." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Splat 2.5/5 |
Away We Go (2009) |
"It’s too bad [the writers] didn’t follow their slacker protagonists’ example, and amble slowly through their cross-country road trip flick. Instead, they all labor overtime to mark every stop along the map, usually with neon signs and flashing arrows." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Splat 2/4 |
Azumi (2006) |
"Plot and character development are quickly sacrificed to over-the-top action, but with a miniskirted menace in the lead, it's safe to say that fans, at least, will love it." |
Elizabeth Weitzman |
Splat 2.5/4 |
A Scanner Darkly (2006) |
"Fans of the late sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick may rejoice at the news that Richard Linklater's A Scanner Darkly is the most faithful adaptation of one of his stories to reach the screen. Unfortunately, the story is one of Dick's least cinematic." |
Jack Mathews |
Tomato 2.5/4 |
A Tout de Suite (2005) |
"Le Besco's vulnerability draws us into her predicament." |
Jack Mathews |
Tomato 3/4 |
Abduction: The Megumi Yokota Story (2007) |
"Canadians Chris Sheridan and Patty Kim's spellbinding documentary focuses on the relentless search for the truth by Megumi's parents and families of other abductees." |
Jack Mathews |
Splat 2.5/4 |
Across the Universe (2007) |
"The movie is no more than an interesting experiment and a rarity among movie musicals in that even if you enjoy it, you won't want to hear it again." |
Jack Mathews |
Tomato 3/4 |
Adrift in Manhattan (2007) |
"Adrift is a small film with great humanity and deserves a broader audience than it's likely to get." |
Jack Mathews |
Splat 1.5/4 |
Adventures of Sharkboy and Lava Girl in 3-D (2005) |
"The low-tech film looks like a kid's crude drawing, plays like entry-level Game Boy, and is about as nourishing as a Tootsie Pop." |
Jack Mathews |
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