|
| 1. |
|
05/16/12 |
Excellent |
 "...often hilarious... The easily offended will be appalled. The rarely offended may be appalled. But they'll have to stop laughing long enough to realize it." |
| 2. |
|
05/11/12 |
Excellent |
 "...the ensemble cast is so strong that the women's efforts -- which include some unexpectedly effective musical scenes -- are both entertaining and inspiring." |
| 3. |
|
05/11/12 |
Outstanding |
 "...a beautifully told story of heartbreak and hope. Deceptively modest and utterly lovely, it's one of the most magical films about childhood I have ever seen." |
| 4. |
|
05/11/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "While the film feels too much like a retread of '8 Murders a Day,' which Charlie Minn released last year, it's still urgent enough to warrant a view." |
| 5. |
|
05/11/12 |
Weak |
 ":..darkly comic... starts out in such interesting fashion, it's hugely disappointing to see it devolve so lazily into a generic vigilante fantasy." |
| 6. |
|
05/11/12 |
Weak |
 "...minor romp manages to make being a rock star look like a distinctly unglamorous affair.... offers underwritten characters in a limp, barely developed romance." |
| 7. |
|
05/11/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "...woven amid the glib one-liners and contrived scenarios is an unexpected, and undeniably touching, sense of heart... we actually care about these characters." |
| 8. |
|
05/04/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "Kollek tries to motivate himself by picking up a video camera and shooting whatever he finds.... a rather grim, often indulgent muddle. But it's also undeniably compelling." |
| 9. |
|
05/04/12 |
Weak |
 "Although the movie is meant to be about challenging one's lifelong assumptions, we can predict the characters' responses as soon as we meet them." |
| 10. |
|
05/04/12 |
Weak |
 "All the characters are so underwritten, they serve as symbols rather than relatable human beings... Turner can attack a role with relish, but needs something to sink her teeth into." |
| 11. |
|
04/28/12 |
Excellent |
 "With empathetic craftsmanship... a brief history of hatred that may be recognizable to anyone who lived through the 20th century or has been paying attention in the 21st." |
| 12. |
|
04/27/12 |
Weak |
 "It's not an insult to say the black-and-white film looks like a grad-school thesis project, since that's what it is (for Franco's MFA at NYU)." |
| 13. |
|
04/27/12 |
Excellent |
 "...it's nice to find a romantic comedy with so much respect for both its leads: There are no heroes or villains here, just funny, likeable characters..." |
| 14. |
|
04/27/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "...adults may expect a little more from the makers of the Oscar-winning 'Wallace & Gromit' franchise. For kids, any movie with a chimp in a waistcoat is bound to be treasured." |
| 15. |
|
04/20/12 |
Weak |
 "...a wasted opportunity. Hicks is way out of his element. He hits the beats -- lonely woman, hunky stranger -- without bothering to develop even the slightest depth." |
| 16. |
|
04/20/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "...solid... Every primary cast member is appealing, elevating the disposable plot -- men and women are in constant battle, yawn..." |
| 17. |
|
04/20/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "...everyone seems so genuinely excited to be sharing their music on film that the entire experience becomes a joyful alliance between audience and actors." |
| 18. |
|
04/20/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "What saves the film is the fact that the characters are always easy to recognize, both as self-centered teenagers and tentatively maturing young adults." |
| 19. |
|
04/13/12 |
Weak |
 "...oddly staid, glowingly reverent... such a rare individual deserves a film that treats her not as a saint, but the remarkable, complex human being she actually is." |
| 20. |
|
04/13/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "Some viewers will be understandably put off by its aggressive lack of focus, but Kahn is so excited about cramming in every idea that ultimately the originality trumps the obnoxiousness." |
