|
| 1. |
|
01/09/09 |
Poor |
 "...an insipid comedy in which the women are shallow, acquisitive, backstabbing, selfish harridans, and the men who agree to marry them are blank slates..." |
| 2. |
|
01/16/09 |
Very Good |
 "...lively, funny, imaginative... should appeal to kids and their pet-loving parents, especially if mom and dad are still sniffling over the harsher realities of 'Marley & Me.' " |
| 3. |
|
01/30/09 |
Weak |
 "The ghastly first half is as close to unwatchable as any moment in 'Bride Wars.' The fact that it stars Renée Zellweger just makes it harder to bear." |
| 4. |
|
02/06/09 |
Moderate |
 "If I went out on a date with 'He's Just Not That Into You,' I would smile and be polite and say 'It was nice meeting you,' at the end of the evening." |
| 5. |
|
02/13/09 |
Poor |
 "With any luck 'Confessions' will end up as a tipping point, signaling the moment that women finally stopped paying to see themselves look stupid on screen." |
| 6. |
|
02/27/09 |
Moderate |
 "...as painfully obvious as movies get, a well-worn story that seems cobbled together from every romantic cliché known to film or sitcom." |
| 7. |
|
03/06/09 |
Very Good |
 "...with its basic themes, structure and apocalyptic vibe intact, 'Watchmen' turns out to be quite filmable after all, and its stylish highlights trump any quibbles." |
| 8. |
|
03/20/09 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "...a thinking person's caper, and, as such, it deserves credit for its jaunty cerebral style, even if it turns out to be unnecessarily complicated and sometimes nonsensical." |
| 9. |
|
03/27/09 |
Very Good |
 "...its overall ability to balance humor and drama, attention to emotional detail and a few winning performances outweighs its maudlin tendencies." |
| 10. |
|
04/03/09 |
Very Good |
 "...sweet, surprisingly tender... perceptively explores the way we relate to each other and how fickle we can be even when we know in our hearts what's right." |
| 11. |
|
04/03/09 |
Weak |
 "...a loud, dumb movie... considering this film should be all about automotive porn, the cars get short shrift." |
| 12. |
|
04/10/09 |
Moderate |
 "...feels more like a series of not-quite-successful skits thrown together than a movie with a script. Some of the scenes are amusing... But the gags are hit and miss." |
| 13. |
|
04/17/09 |
Very Good |
 "...its depiction of a newsroom is so realistic you'll be surprised to learn the scenes were filmed on a set. The good more than makes up for the bad." |
| 14. |
|
04/17/09 |
Very Good |
 "There's never any doubt what the film's lesson will be -- appreciate the good things you have -- but it's so much fun it makes the sentiment worth repeating." |
| 15. |
|
04/17/09 |
Poor |
 "...shockingly inept, tedious film about three crusty old sea captains seeking a bride to take care of them.... so laden with crusty sayings it's laughable and painful..." |
| 16. |
|
04/24/09 |
Very Good |
 "Strangely, the inspirational power of 'The Soloist' lies not in its music but in the heart and soul of its intriguing characters." |
| 17. |
|
04/24/09 |
Poor |
 "...after more than an hour of proving how pointless and vapid these characters are, it leaves us with a parting shot indicating we should care about what happens to them." |
| 18. |
|
05/01/09 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "...counteracts its deficiencies -- predictability, sentimentality -- with a healthy dose of humor. Caine is amusing and affecting... he developes a nice rapport with Milner..." |
| 19. |
|
05/01/09 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "You can easily discern which characters are going to end up dead, and all the interesting allegories of the original comics are more or less forgotten." |
| 20. |
|
05/15/09 |
Outstanding |
 "...a moving, passionate tribute to determination and heart, whatever you might choose to do in your life." |
