|
| 1. |
|
11/14/12 |
Excellent |
 "...startling... has a compelling narrative arc and two marvelously engaging subjects whose childhood hopes and dreams produce many affecting moments between bouts." |
| 2. |
|
07/24/12 |
Good |
 "The biggest and best surprise is how convincing, even rewarding, Chapman To's domestic dramas turn out to be..." |
| 3. |
|
06/13/12 |
Good |
 "...offers a fresh, intimate and mostly successful perspective on Germany's traumatic transition from conqueror nation to occupied state... determinedly understated..." |
| 4. |
|
01/11/12 |
Very Good |
 "Surfing meets sociology in 'Splinters,' a compelling docu about the sport's arrival in the Papua New Guinea village of Vanimo." |
| 5. |
|
12/21/11 |
Moderate |
 "Tsui Hark stages any number of marvelous action sequences. But what's glaringly absent is any character depth or significant emotional content for auds to embrace." |
| 6. |
|
11/27/11 |
Very Good |
 "...primed to please aficionados but also draw newbies into the fold... the elaborate plot remains coherent even in the midst of furious fights and multiple identity switcheroos..." |
| 7. |
|
11/15/11 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "A dreamlike meld of fiction and documentary... will move many with its plea for the protection and preservation of Palawan culture, but distance others with hazy storytelling." |
| 8. |
|
10/23/11 |
Good |
 "...solid if overlong... Engages auds emotionally with strong characters and bittersweet scenes of enemies fraternizing from a distance..." |
| 9. |
|
10/23/11 |
Excellent |
 "A beautifully written and performed plea for understanding on hot-button moral and legal issues... perfectly pitched to engage the emotions and provoke discussion..." |
| 10. |
|
10/17/11 |
Very Good |
 "Current trends in Filipino indie cinema are lampooned... a lively laffer... Chris Martinez's screenplay never aims jibes at specific films or filmmakers; the humor is much more about how the rest of the world sees Filipino art cinema." |
| 11. |
|
09/10/11 |
Good |
 "Beautifully lensed and impeccably performed by Willem Dafoe... but auds may feel they're not given enough information about the protag to become fully immersed..." |
| 12. |
|
09/01/11 |
Weak |
 "...poorly scripted... carried solely on the buff shoulders of macho megastar Salman Khan... he delivers whether engaged in eye-catching, CGI-assisted fight scenes or strutting around like he owns the place during zippy musical interludes." |
| 13. |
|
06/23/11 |
Excellent |
 "The complex relationship between exiled Tibetan spiritual master Cheogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche and his Italian-born son Yeshi is examined in this fascinating docu..." |
| 14. |
|
06/23/11 |
Moderate |
 "A Chinese propaganda film without the heavy dogma and dour treatment that would have been expected a generation ago... a slick and lavish historical epic charting the 1921 formation of the Chinese Communist Party." |
| 15. |
|
06/19/11 |
Weak |
 "A bright performance by Zhu Lin can't prevent severe credibility gaps and abrasive tonal shifts from harpooning the heartwarming intentions of the movie.... awkward..." |
| 16. |
|
04/17/11 |
Good |
 "...delivers the goods so long as butt is being kicked and family conflict is playing out... less thrilling during the Norse warrior god's rather brief banishment on Earth." |
| 17. |
|
03/04/11 |
Fair |
 "...extremely bleak... pic compels for a couple of reels before muddled plotting sets in and auds are left with no one to connect with..." |
| 18. |
|
02/03/11 |
Fair |
 "Asian superstars Gong Li and Andy Lau spark together, but the script rarely produces fireworks... let down by too few zingers and a too-long running time.... the final furlongs still have the feel of a novelty that's worn off." |
| 19. |
|
10/10/10 |
Outstanding |
 "...a deeply moving study of emotionally scarred adults who were illegally deported as children to Australia from Britain... a standout debut by British helmer Jim Loach..." |
| 20. |
|
07/13/10 |
Weak |
 "Too much contemplation and not enough demonstration... lacks the emotional clout that would compensate for the meager footage of martial-arts superman/co-helmer Tony Jaa beating the daylights out of all comers." |
