|
| 1. |
|
01/11/13 |
Outstanding |
 "...not only serves as a gripping, top-notch piece of filmmaking, it raises questions about America's role in the world that the country has yet to reconcile." |
| 2. |
|
01/06/10 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "...director Miguel Arteta soft-pedals some of the plot's morally disturbing implications, but gets points for revolting against the clichés of most youth comedies." |
| 3. |
|
04/08/11 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "...the Apatow-level of raunch provides plenty of laughs... feels like an overdue parody of the archetypal hero stories that have overrun contemporary Hollywood..." |
| 4. |
|
12/15/11 |
Excellent |
 "...plays more like one of Alexander Payne's caustic but credible satires of Middle America like 'Election.' " |
| 5. |
|
06/03/11 |
Excellent |
 "A prequel/reboot easily on a par with J.J. Abrams' 'Star Trek'... special credit to the performances of McAvoy, Fassbender and Lawrence." |
| 6. |
|
07/14/10 |
Excellent |
 "A stark character-driven drama... depicts a rural culture that clings so tightly to rigid protocols and unspoken laws, the interpersonal dynamics feel almost medieval." |
| 7. |
|
12/07/11 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "...sweet... covers some ground that A.A. Milne fans will find familiar, but it also features consistently amusing jokes and likable musical numbers..." |
| 8. |
|
08/06/10 |
Weak |
 "It's as if everything about 'Wild Grass' wants to convince you that it has no consequence. If so, mission accomplished." |
| 9. |
|
04/27/11 |
Weak |
 "...the young leads lack the magnetism to make their overly familiar crises compelling.... you wish Gray the director had replaced Gray the screenwriter." |
| 10. |
|
02/20/13 |
Excellent |
 "...compelling.... presents a highly powerful argument, with enough moral indignation and narrative drive to propel the story for nearly two and a half hours." |
| 11. |
|
12/07/11 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "Writer/director Andrew Haigh effectively sets a naturalistic, leisurely tone.... 'Weekend' creates enough emotional truth that its final scenes feel like epiphanies." |
| 12. |
|
03/01/12 |
Weak |
 "...admirably takes on prickly themes of guilt and parenthood, but despite Swinton and Ramsay's artistic strengths, there's ultimately something phony about the film." |
| 13. |
|
10/17/12 |
Weak |
 "...trivializes the moral and military themes it wants to take seriously, but at least it offers some pleasant scenery in the background." |
| 14. |
|
12/21/11 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "When it shifts to farm life, such as the endless first half hour, it's clumsy, mawkish, and practically crushed under the weight of a suffocating John Williams score." |
| 15. |
|
09/24/10 |
Weak |
 "...manages to be both oversimplified and too convoluted at the same time." |
| 16. |
|
03/31/10 |
Excellent |
 "These days, our culture tends to view Il Duce as Hitler's oafish World War II sidekick, but 'Vincere' brings his brutality and dangerous charisma vividly to life." |
| 17. |
|
03/15/12 |
Excellent |
 "...apart from some overly religious-sounding musical choices that underscore big scenes, it's a highly compelling piece... it ultimately wants to inspire and comfort..." |
| 18. |
|
05/31/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "...for a film that so brazenly raises the topic of female sexuality, it has surprisingly little follow-through... its climax doesn't nearly measure up to its foreplay." |
| 19. |
|
12/07/11 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "...deserves a cult following based on its off-kilter premise and the snappy performances from its two leads.... Tudyk and Labine make a terrific comedic duo..." |
| 20. |
|
12/22/10 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "The Coens mine plenty of humor in their mismatched heroes' interplay and the semi-archaic dialogue from Charles Portis' original novel." |
