| 1. |
|
05/31/07 |
Good (Not Great) |
"...certainly vivid with its look at the gorgeous, seemingly uninhibited performers.... writer/director Abel Ferrara's restless camera, improvised, overlapping dialogue, and dynamic framing help make his film watchable and in sequences even enjoyable." |
| 2. |
|
10/05/09 |
Excellent |
"Marked by witty irony and black humor... consists of precisely set and shot tableaux, in which idiosyncratic characters move in and out.... dialogue is kept to a minimum..." |
| 3. |
|
10/16/09 |
Very Good |
"Michael Sera renders such a dominant and charismatic performance that he single-handedly elevates the coming of age comedy way above its genre and familiar themes." |
| 4. |
|
12/16/09 |
Moderate |
"...the film is too conventional, a fact made more evident by its Masterpiece Theater look, and it doesn't help that it's done as a domestic melodrama." |
| 5. |
|
01/05/10 |
Good |
"...the free form arrangement of scenes that carry an improvisational intensity... at once tender and sharp, but also ungainly and insufficiently shaped." |
| 6. |
|
01/08/10 |
Good (Not Great) |
"...contains several visually stylish, thematically provocative and action-packed sequences... But there also are many boring and predictable scenes..." |
| 7. |
|
01/13/10 |
Moderate |
"...a hodge-podge... the first film from the gifted Hughes brothers in nine years, is a major disappointment, a mishmash of ideas courtesy of neophyte scribe Gary Whitta." |
| 8. |
|
01/21/10 |
Fair |
"...disappointingly schmaltzy and predictable... might appeal to some children but parents and other adults (if they go) would be looking at their watches." |
| 9. |
|
01/22/10 |
Very Good |
"The cumulative effect is that of a complex puzzle, based on the collision of different worlds and the tragic consequences of enemies..." |
| 10. |
|
01/24/10 |
Very Good |
"...semi-successful, intermittently entertaining... Gibson gives a terrific performance in a demanding role... the crime mystery works more effectively than the political thriller." |
| 11. |
|
02/04/10 |
Very Good |
"...a mid-range and mid-achievement for Scorsese... dense in imagery but not rich enough in ideas, almost consistently entertaining but not entirely gripping..." |
| 12. |
|
02/05/10 |
Weak |
"What has happened to the estimable director Lasse Hallstrom, three-time Oscar- nominee ('The Cider House Rules,' 1999; 'My Life as a Dog,' 1985)?" |
| 13. |
|
02/10/10 |
Moderate |
"...another failed effort to reboot an iconic work... neither scary enough as a horror flick nor poignant enough as a tragic tale of the duality of human nature." |
| 14. |
|
02/15/10 |
Moderate |
"...most of what we see has been depicted before by other directors, in a more interesting way..." |
| 15. |
|
02/17/10 |
Excellent |
"...deals with political intrigue, disgraced politicos, and behind-closed-doors machinations, turning it into timely and relevant work." |
| 16. |
|
02/21/10 |
Excellent |
"...brings astonishing and previously unseen interviews with survivors of North Korea's vast and largely hidden prison camps.... an urgent condemnation of a political regime..." |
| 17. |
|
02/22/10 |
Outstanding |
"...powerful, intensely realistic... benefits immensely from the raw freshness of its lead character.... deeply thought, intimate, well-acted, and visually impressive." |
| 18. |
|
02/25/10 |
Excellent |
"...in individual sequences, the movie soars to Hollywood's highest level of creativity. And yet something is missing... call it heart and gravity." |
| 19. |
|
03/06/10 |
Good (Not Great) |
"...offers some minor rewards, prime among which is Ben Stiller's performance as a severely flawed character.... Too intimate... static, and verbose..." |
| 20. |
|
03/08/10 |
Moderate |
"...too simplistic in its explanations, too well-rounded in terms of heroes and villains, and ultimately too symmetrical for its own good." |