|
| 1. |
|
02/12/12 |
Very Good |
 "...a moving depiction... highlights the man's importance both as a major 20th century musician and as a figurehead for his fellow countrymen." |
| 2. |
|
02/10/12 |
Poor |
 "...bombastic... blows itself to bits.... may be one of the first movies in history where the Nazis seem to be the most civil people depicted on screen." |
| 3. |
|
12/26/11 |
Fair |
 "...flat-footed and seriously unsexy... all-too timid affair features decent turns from stars Audrey Tautou and Francois Damiens, who do what they can with a threadbare plot and by-the-book direction." |
| 4. |
|
11/09/11 |
Weak |
 "...charts the expansion of oil mining in the Middle East.... there is something all too old fashioned and benign about this glossy desert peplum, whose casting of (mostly) non-Arab stars - posing as Arabs - seems out of touch with current tastes." |
| 5. |
|
10/30/11 |
Very Good |
 "...deadpan teen dramedy features a fine lead performance from newcomer Helene Bergsholm, and despite its low-budget production values, has its heart - and hand - in the right place." |
| 6. |
|
10/16/11 |
Excellent |
 "...a visually dazzling adaptation... a witty, globe-trotting treasure hunt featuring the sleuthing boy reporter, his trusted fox terrier, and a cast of catchy side characters." |
| 7. |
|
07/26/11 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "...there are guilty pleasures to be had in this frenzied B... Zoe Saldana ('Avatar,' 'Star Trek') gives an acrobatic performance that makes the overcooked material watchable, if not entirely enjoyable." |
| 8. |
|
07/08/11 |
Moderate |
 "...tells the little known story of a handful of Muslim agents who fought for the French Resistance.... it's unfortunately a far too academic affair that never surges with the suspense of many a WWII drama." |
| 9. |
|
07/07/11 |
Very Good |
 "...the sort of casual, insightful and at times sexually candid storytelling that, if it wasn't necessarily invented in France, has definitely become one the nation's more prized genres." |
| 10. |
|
07/01/11 |
Good |
 "...a rather tame and bittersweet rock 'n' roll dramedy about two brothers trying to climb out of the shadow of Ireland's most famous band.... cleverly conceived, behind-the-scenes tale features fine lead performances..." |
| 11. |
|
06/20/11 |
Very Good |
 "Paula van der Oest's biopic of South African poet Ingrid Jonker is conventional yet captivating thanks in large part to a terrific lead performance from Carice van Houten." |
| 12. |
|
05/18/11 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "...amusing yet lightweight.... Anchored by talented Comedie Française actor Denis Podalydes' pitch-perfect imitation..." |
| 13. |
|
05/16/11 |
Good |
 "...much more of a cerebral rumination on the métier than any sort of trivia quiz, and it's carried almost entirely by Rampling's wit, intelligence and incredible screen presence." |
| 14. |
|
05/14/11 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "Flawed yet alluring... an engaging though not entirely convincing portrayal of a battle that began when the filmmaker's infant son was diagnosed with brain cancer." |
| 15. |
|
05/12/11 |
Very Good |
 "...there's enough ingenuity in the filmmakers' approach to keep one guessing as to what will be the next brunt of the joke: a pen, a puppy, even a newborn baby are all up for grabs..." |
| 16. |
|
05/12/11 |
Very Good |
 "A powerhouse of emotional jolts, freewheeling comedy and socially-minded storytelling... Like a whole season of 'The Wire' packed into a single two-hour-plus film..." |
| 17. |
|
03/08/11 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "...a gripping yet one-dimensional account of a French counter-terrorist offensive on a hijacked airplane.... an impressive - but depthless - exercise in action bravado." |
| 18. |
|
03/02/11 |
Very Good |
 "...sharply observed story of youths grappling with awkward bodies and budding hormones... [a] lighthearted preteen drama..." |
| 19. |
|
02/16/11 |
Good |
 "...a solid thrill ride.... some of its twists are far-fetched... [but] director Jaume Collet-Serra provides a steady flow of suspense and a very Polanski-esque feeling of paranoia." |
| 20. |
|
01/11/11 |
Good |
 "...an offbeat, cleverly crafted French thriller about a crime-fiction writer investigating the death of a local TV star who believed she was the reincarnation of Marilyn Monroe." |
