Splat C |
Nacho Libre (2006) |
"Nacho Libre is a throwaway movie, but that doesn't mean it could not have been better." |
Peter Rainer |
Tomato A- |
The Namesake (2007) |
"The Namesake takes in a lot of territory, and at times is too diffuse, too attenuated. But the actors are so expressive that they provide their own continuity. They transport us to a realm of pure feeling." |
Peter Rainer |
Splat C- |
Nancy Drew (2007) |
"So tepid that even Nancy Drew loyalists may take a pass on any further cinematic adventures." |
Peter Rainer |
Tomato B+ |
Nanking (2007) |
"Nanking does justice to this tragedy even though it makes the mistake of mixing the testimony of actual participants with staged readings from actors subbing for real people." |
Peter Rainer |
Splat C |
The Nanny Diaries (2007) |
"Although the novel was praised for its dead-on accuracy in portraying this high-end world, far too much of the movie is fantastical." |
Peter Rainer |
Tomato B+ |
Nanny McPhee (2006) |
"... [Thompson] gives McPhee a gravitas that provides the movie with a deep core of feeling." |
Peter Rainer |
Tomato 3/4 |
Napoleon Dynamite (2004) |
"Nerdiness will never seem the same." |
David Sterritt |
Tomato 4/4 |
Naqoyqatsi (2002) |
"At a time when commercialism has squeezed the life out of whatever idealism American moviemaking ever had, Godfrey Reggio's career shines like a lonely beacon." |
David Sterritt |
Splat 2/4 |
National Treasure (2004) |
"The clever bits are swamped by no-brainer gunfights, rescues, and chases galore." |
David Sterritt |
Splat C |
National Treasure 2 : Book of Secrets (2007) |
"This second Jerry Bruckheimer National Treasure adventure, feebly directed by Jon Turtletaub, is no better than the first -- which means it will probably be creamed by critics and make a jillion dollars." |
Peter Rainer |
Splat C+ |
The Nativity Story (2006) |
"It's a rather lifeless re-telling of the Nativity, with greeting-card imagery and stiff performances." |
Peter Rainer |
Tomato 3/4 |
The Nazi Officer's Wife |
"Sarandon narrates and Ormond reads excerpts from Hahn's memoir, supplemented by archival footage and interviews with the survivor herself." |
David Sterritt |
Tomato |
Ned Kelly (2004) |
"Challenging, dramatic, provocative." |
David Sterritt |
Tomato A- |
Neil Young - Heart of Gold (2006) |
"All in all, a visual and musical feast." |
Peter Rainer |
Tomato 2/4 |
Never Been Kissed (1999) |
"Barrymore continues to grow as a comic actress, with solid support from Sobieski and Arquette, and the story has energy to spare." |
David Sterritt |
Splat 2/4 |
Never Die Alone (2004) |
"This throwback to the outmoded blaxploitation genre is skillfully filmed by Dickerson, but has little else to offer besides cheap, violent thrills." |
David Sterritt |
Splat 1/4 |
New Guy (2005) |
"Alas, the movie is less clever than its characters." |
David Sterritt |
Splat D |
New in Town (2009) |
"In the current economic climate, this comedy about workers whose livelihood is rescued by a benevolent boss represents the ultimate wish-fulfillment fantasy. Don't spend your hard-earned discretionary cash on it." |
Peter Rainer |
Tomato B |
The New World (2005) |
"Malick has a gorgeous talent for capturing supernal landscapes, for conveying their sorrow, and it would be a loss if he stopped directing again at a time when Hollywood is more starved than ever before for the personal touch." |
Peter Rainer |
Splat 2/4 |
New York Minute (2004) |
"The cast is cute and the action is colorful, but the comedy isn't as captivating as it sets out to be." |
David Sterritt |
Splat 2/4 |
The Newton Boys (1998) |
"These are fetching performers, but their built-in energy is about all The Newton Boys has going for it." |
David Sterritt |
Splat D- |
Next (2007) |
"While [Cage's character's] soothsaying turns Next into a sci-fi film with minimal exposition, next to the fortuitous plot twists and implausible fight scenes, the ability to see into the future seems almost mundane." |
Matt Bradley |
Tomato 3/4 |
Nicholas Nickleby (2002) |
"A lovely film for the holiday season." |
David Sterritt |
Tomato B- |
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008) |
"What makes the film work in spite of itself is [director] Sollett's sympathy for his characters and the teamwork between Cera and Dennings, whose winsome sultriness seems entirely unaffected." |
Peter Rainer |
Tomato 4/4 |
Nicotina (2004) |
"Supercharged with an energy and ingenuity that Run Lola Run once had a patent on." |
David Sterritt |
Tomato B |
Night at the Museum (2006) |
"The script by "Reno 911!" creators Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon gives hyperkinetic life to both a fantastic set and comedy legends Dick Van Dyke and Mickey Rooney." |
Robert Newton |
Splat C- |
The Night Listener (2006) |
"Something happens to Robin Williams in serious roles. He becomes so drab that it's almost as if he's trying to efface himself from the screen." |
Peter Rainer |
Tomato B |
Night Watch (2005) |
"As opposed to the dreary domestic dramas that are [Russian] cinema's stock in trade, this one is a full-stops-out fantasia that is often disgustingly gloppy and looks as if it was birthed by the Wachowski brothers and Quentin Tarantino." |
Peter Rainer |
Tomato 4/4 |
Nights of Cabiria (1957) |
"One of Fellini's finest." |
David Sterritt |
Tomato B- |
Nim's Island (2008) |
"Audiences may find early scenes of father-daughter family life more engaging than the adventures that ensue, but this is a fairly successful attempt at a preteen-friendly entertainment." |
M. K. Terrell |
Tomato 4/4 |
Nina's Tragedies (2005) |
"This wry comedy drama has excellent acting and surprises galore." |
David Sterritt |
Tomato B- |
Nine (2009) |
"It’s still worth seeing Nine for Day-Lewis’s bemused intensity and for the showstopping appearances by Sophia Loren (still looking great), Kate Hudson, Dame Judi Dench (yes, she sings), and Cruz." |
Peter Rainer |
Splat F |
The Nines (2007) |
"So unspeakably bad is screenwriter John August's debut as director, so hilariously unaware is the film of its overweening pretensions that it's tempting to want to deem it a Hollywood writer's fever dream." |
Robert Koehler |
Tomato 4/4 |
The Ninth Day (2005) |
"This is moviemaking on the highest dramatic, psychological, and moral plane." |
David Sterritt |
Tomato A |
No Country for Old Men (2007) |
"With its dizzying alternations of comedy and horror, the film is unmistakably a Coen brothers movie -- albeit a much better one than they've made in a while." |
Peter Rainer |
Tomato A |
No End in Sight (2007) |
"Although this is Ferguson's first feature -- he paid for it himself -- it's a masterfully assured piece of filmmaking." |
Peter Rainer |
Tomato B+ |
No Impact Man (2009) |
"It all seems like a stunt, especially since Beaven has also written a just-published book about his experiences, but he and Conlin are an engaging pair who don't let zealotry get in the way of humor." |
Peter Rainer |
Tomato B |
No Reservations (2007) |
"No Reservations is diverting because of all the gleaming food on display. For those of us who can't stand the heat and so stay out of the kitchen, the intricate preparation of quail with truffle sauce is a wonder to behold." |
Peter Rainer |
Tomato 2/4 |
No Such Thing (2002) |
"It's the kind of pigeonhole-resisting romp that Hollywood too rarely provides." |
David Sterritt |
Splat 1/4 |
Noel (2004) |
"Santa Claus's bag couldn't hold as many clichés as the screenplay dishes out." |
David Sterritt |
Tomato 3/4 |
Noi (2004) |
"Quirky, heartfelt acting makes this a superior entry in the perennial teenage-misfit genre." |
David Sterritt |
Tomato B |
Noise (2008) |
"The black comedy Noise may be a one-joke movie but it's a resonant one." |
Peter Rainer |
Splat D |
Norbit (2007) |
"Murphy does well juggling three roles, but the movie (from a story co-written with his brother Charles) isn't worthy of his talents." |
M. K. Terrell |
Tomato B- |
North Country (2005) |
"Overall North Country is too self-consciously scaled as an anthem for the human spirit. We can spot where this movie is headed right from the beginning." |
Peter Rainer |
Tomato 4/4 |
Northfork (2003) |
"The movie elegantly mingles drama, comedy, and low-key spiritual resonance." |
David Sterritt |
Tomato 2/4 |
Not One Less (1999) |
"Not One Less has the same documentary-type style, and goes a step further by filling the cast with people who have never acted before. This lends authenticity to the film, which benefits greatly from the natural-born charm of its performers." |
David Sterritt |
Splat 2/4 |
The Notebook (2004) |
"Cassavetes's directing style is slow and stilted ... indicating yet again that his notion of moviemaking is the opposite of everything his father, the great John Cassavetes, stood for." |
David Sterritt |
Tomato A |
Notes on a Scandal (2006) |
"Blanchett has also recently appeared in The Good German and Babel, but this represents far and away her best work." |
Peter Rainer |
Tomato B |
Nothing But the Truth (2008) |
"All this plays out in brisk fashion, and the actors, who also include Alan Alda as Rachel's venerable lawyer, mostly seem to be having a high old time." |
Peter Rainer |
Tomato B- |
The Notorious Bettie Page (2006) |
"Gretchen Mol is unrelentingly charming in the role and she almost -- almost -- makes you believe that someone as unclouded as this could actually exist." |
Peter Rainer |
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