|
| 1. |
|
05/16/13 |
Weak |
 "It's got plenty of pretty people, pretty clothes and swatches of info. But as a feature-length doc, it's pure assembly-line dreck." |
| 2. |
|
04/11/13 |
Excellent |
 "...an absorbing, atmospheric film that on the surface is as leisurely and calm as some of the sun-dappled landscapes in the Impressionist master's canvases." |
| 3. |
|
04/04/13 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "Garbus has padded her high-end A&E-style bio with readings from the journals.... The conceit is gimmicky at times... Monroe's enduring magic comes through..." |
| 4. |
|
03/21/13 |
Excellent |
 "...absorbing.... Satoshi Takebe's jaunty score adds lots of charm, the voices are characterful, and the animation is gorgeous..." |
| 5. |
|
03/21/13 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "It's a familiar story, but it still works, and Knoller immerses himself in his miserable character, complete with bad haircut and deadpan expression." |
| 6. |
|
01/17/13 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "The most heartfelt moment comes during the closing credits, where we see how many actual musicians were involved and get glimpses of the actors in their prime." |
| 7. |
|
12/20/12 |
Weak |
 "On film, the stories seem flat and disconnected, and at two and a half hours, Hooper loses control of the film's shape and tone." |
| 8. |
|
11/29/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "Jude Law steals the picture with his pinched yet dignified and very human portrayal of Anna's cuckolded husband." |
| 9. |
|
10/25/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "...plays out as expected, and the end isn't particularly inventive. But by then the screws have been tightened so much that we need release - of any kind." |
| 10. |
|
10/25/12 |
Excellent |
 "Ben Lewin sometimes struggles to find the right tone, but the story unfolds elegantly, and he's helped by a magnificent cast." |
| 11. |
|
10/25/12 |
Weak |
 "...gets lost in the ether.... Some sections work better than others, and the thing does come together near the end, but what a slog to get there." |
| 12. |
|
10/11/12 |
Weak |
 "...by staying within the claustrophobic confines of the house for most of the picture, the film misses opportunities to deliver real frights, not just head-scratches." |
| 13. |
|
10/11/12 |
Excellent |
 "...uncompromising.... You can sense Erik's layers of pain when he wants to be with his lover even at the lowest point.... a clear-eyed look at urban life, straight and gay..." |
| 14. |
|
09/27/12 |
Weak |
 "Apart from a few chuckles, this farce won't be very farcical to Western viewers.... self-indulgent, episodic and misogynistic..." |
| 15. |
|
08/25/12 |
Poor |
 "...looks like it ran out of money and lost its writer before it finished shooting. How else to describe the jumble of disconnected imagery, plot lines and characters..." |
| 16. |
|
08/23/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "This isn't a great documentary, but the man and his message at its heart are very important indeed.... earnest, straightforward and oddly uninvolving." |
| 17. |
|
08/10/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "Not all the jokes hit, but some of them - like a family confessional, or a hunting scene, or an ongoing gag involving a sassy maid - are deliriously fun." |
| 18. |
|
07/26/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "Apart from what we see onstage, there's little tension or artfulness to the film, making it of interest mostly to dance aficionados." |
| 19. |
|
07/19/12 |
Excellent |
 "...nail-biting... takes a frank look at costs, job opportunities, body issues, injuries and gender. There's lots of great dance, plus a bit of unexpected humour..." |
| 20. |
|
07/19/12 |
Weak |
 "The lack of an Angel Clare figure - the third point in the 'Tess' triangle - means there's less tension in the narrative, resulting in a meandering second half..." |
