|
| 1. |
|
05/10/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "...isn't always completely elegant about getting its point across, but its imperfections are only human -- a quality, as Sarah eventually realizes, that can have its own appeal." |
| 2. |
|
05/04/12 |
Moderate |
 "It's difficult not to admire the film for its intentions... But its gentle, sentimental approach prevents it from ever really getting at the pain that's been swirling around this imperfect family for years." |
| 3. |
|
04/26/12 |
Excellent |
 "Barely a moment goes by without a well-orchestrated joke (or three), and it's paced as briskly as a clipper in front of a stiff tailwind." |
| 4. |
|
04/19/12 |
Excellent |
 "...everything here feels essential to telling this story.... Stylistically unremarkable, playing it safe with structure, the film is still quietly revelatory." |
| 5. |
|
04/12/12 |
Outstanding |
 "...a visceral roller coaster of a movie at heart... like the best thrill rides, when it's over, you just want to get back on and go again." |
| 6. |
|
04/05/12 |
Very Good |
 "Guy Maddin continues to straddle the line between opaque artistic symbolism and accessible playfulness... he indulges his fascination with both the beauty and the stylistic excess of early cinema." |
| 7. |
|
03/29/12 |
Good |
 "There's nothing particularly revelatory here... Yet there's an undeniable sweetness, evident in the vulnerability that peeks through Alma's disaffected facade..." |
| 8. |
|
03/22/12 |
Fair |
 "It's easy to be left wondering why anyone should care about this particular sad sack.... he's not particularly sympathetic, and it's not entirely clear what he's done to warrant what transformation he eventually undergoes..." |
| 9. |
|
03/15/12 |
Good |
 "...unassuming, dryly funny, often ramshackle... seems unlikely to be as emotionally rich as it is. Both Jeff and the film have a way of sneaking up on you." |
| 10. |
|
03/08/12 |
Moderate |
 "The special effects are some of the strongest elements here... But when 'John Carter' begins taking itself too seriously -- which, at an overlong 132 minutes, it has plenty of opportunity to do -- its star feels a little lost." |
| 11. |
|
03/01/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "...feels like the work of comedic outlaws getting away with something. Watching it is like being an accessory after the fact, the thrill of being a co-conspirator blended with a twinge of red-faced guilt." |
| 12. |
|
02/23/12 |
Very Good |
 "Wain's willingness to do anything for a laugh is a risk that pays off." |
| 13. |
|
02/16/12 |
Poor |
 "All the performers seem more than game... But with the material they're given, they mostly just seem foolish for showing up to the movie to begin with." |
| 14. |
|
02/09/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "Washington and Reynolds are excellent together... but their performances can't save 'Safe House' from its boilerplate-thriller bones." |
| 15. |
|
01/26/12 |
Very Good |
 "...a tough-as-nails study of hardened men struggling with the ostensibly conflicting pulls of stoic masculinity on one hand and love, faith and fear of death on the other." |
| 16. |
|
01/19/12 |
Excellent |
 "Carano's got an all-star cast of talented actors around her to carry the dramatic load... To see what she's capable of here is to witness the birth of the next great action hero." |
| 17. |
|
01/12/12 |
Moderate |
 "...suffers from an overbearing desire to impress.... It's a shame that the film comes across like an awkward and ingratiating teenager, given that the two performances at its core are so winning." |
| 18. |
|
12/22/11 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "It's not that a film can't be lighthearted family fare, a gritty war epic and a weepie all at once; the problem is that here, those elements feel strictly compartmentalized -- and calculated." |
| 19. |
|
12/15/11 |
Outstanding |
 "...may not be as smart as Bird's Pixar work, but that's not a deficiency here. This film exists purely to dazzle and thrill, and by that measure, it delivers expertly..." |
| 20. |
|
12/01/11 |
Good |
 "...heavy on ideas about empowerment and sexual agency, but they're shrouded in a story that tries -- too hard at times -- not to give too much away. The result can feel untouchable and impenetrable..." |
