| 1. |
|
05/17/12 |
Weak |
"You'd rather a first-time director be ambitious than timid, but Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black ('Milk') tries to do way too much in his directorial debut." |
| 2. |
|
05/03/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
"Some will admire its style. Others will think it's hopelessly pretentious.... I was riveted, even if the story does give out in the end." |
| 3. |
|
04/12/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
"...the opening meat market sequence is spectacular, and the cautionary tale is important, especially for aspiring teens whose fantasies leave no room for the reality of exploitation." |
| 4. |
|
04/05/12 |
Excellent |
"Committed filmmaking at its best - and guaranteed to make a difference." |
| 5. |
|
03/29/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
"...it builds tension, the performances, especially Tristan Halilaj's, are strong, and, like recent Oscar winner 'A Separation,' it's got many layers." |
| 6. |
|
03/22/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
"...definitely entertaining, but given its potential to be a devastatingly dystopic film event, this is definitely a missed opportunity." |
| 7. |
|
03/15/12 |
Excellent |
"As always in a Jennifer Baichwal film, the dazzling visuals are the stars, more than Atwood herself, who also appears... both smart and beautiful." |
| 8. |
|
03/15/12 |
Excellent |
"Fans of P-Orridge's infamous '80s industrial outfit Throbbing Gristle be warned. This doc is about a romance, not a rock star." |
| 9. |
|
02/23/12 |
Excellent |
"An important doc for anyone who cares about literature." |
| 10. |
|
02/16/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
"...the actors are excellent, the tension sometimes unbearable... a harrowing film... it's an important story told with deep conviction." |
| 11. |
|
02/09/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
"...so confusing that it's hard to know if Dave is sinking into the depths of paranoia or the higher ups (Sigourney Weaver, Steve Buscemi) are just trying to get him under control." |
| 12. |
|
01/26/12 |
Weak |
"I'm all for watching women kick ass in the bounty-hunting business. But do I have to turn off my brain while I'm doing it?" |
| 13. |
|
01/19/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
"Unfortunately, Jolie's take isn't consistently nuanced.... But she does shed light on a vicious conflict and the way war compromises even the most courageous person's values." |
| 14. |
|
01/12/12 |
Excellent |
"...has three things going for it: great performances, an exhilarating soundtrack of girl-powered hip-hop, metal and soul, and director Dee Rees's savvy script." |
| 15. |
|
01/12/12 |
Good (Not Great) |
"The politics are a mess; even Thatcher herself would be appalled. But Streep's performance is genius." |
| 16. |
|
12/15/11 |
Good (Not Great) |
"If you've seen the Swedish adaptation, this one's superfluous. But if you're like the majority of North Americans and have a hate-on for subtitles - Hollywood firmly believes that means most of you - go for it." |
| 17. |
|
12/15/11 |
Excellent |
"Charlize Theron is at once beautiful and hard to look at, especially when drunk or half-nude (imagine that), cruel and vulnerable, a grown-up with the emotional intelligence of an 18-year-old." |
| 18. |
|
12/01/11 |
Excellent |
"The actors are sensational.... 'Tomboy' is terrific." |
| 19. |
|
12/01/11 |
Excellent |
"...paints a portrait of a generation struggling with mammoth social upheaval." |
| 20. |
|
11/10/11 |
Excellent |
"Depending on your tastes, you'll either call 'The Mill and the Cross' a pretentious piece of ponderous pageantry or go crazy for it." |