|
| 1. |
|
09/06/12 |
Moderate |
 "...a camp follower, content to do what others have done, and periodically tap viewers on the shoulder and remind them of a better film they could be watching instead." |
| 2. |
|
08/09/12 |
Fair |
 "...just a heap of one-sided annoying behavior... It isn't a culture-clash comedy, so much as culture character assassination." |
| 3. |
|
09/15/11 |
Good |
 "...a simple story told in a complicated way.... showcases a restless, ambitious talent who invariably puts an idiosyncratic stamp on his material, no matter how ordinary it is..." |
| 4. |
|
01/03/13 |
Very Good |
 "Individually, the films don't have much to offer new viewers... Collectively, though, they're a fascinating exercise in voyeurism that predates the voyeurism age..." |
| 5. |
|
06/23/11 |
Very Good |
 "It's a familiar story retold in the form of another familiar story, but powerfully expressed emotions always feel fresh and vital in the moment..." |
| 6. |
|
05/31/12 |
Very Good |
 "...earns respect with its makers' dedication to old-school craft.... It's stylish, pretty fun, but not the kind of ambitious effort that should make the world sit up and take notice." |
| 7. |
|
03/08/12 |
Poor |
 "...ridiculous... while the ending is wretchedly fakey and predictable, Murphy in subdued mode gives it a little authentic sweetness." |
| 8. |
|
06/21/12 |
Fair |
 "The story is trying to ground fantasy in history, but neither one is used coherently enough to connect." |
| 9. |
|
07/15/10 |
Fair |
 "...could use considerably fewer of these ham-fisted calls for perspective, and considerably more perspective of its own." |
| 10. |
|
08/18/11 |
Very Good |
 "...a beautifully shot... whispers its messages rather than shouting them. Sometimes that makes them hard to hear, but better adult subtlety than childish obviousness." |
| 11. |
|
07/21/11 |
Outstanding |
 "It's an ambitious premise and a risky approach, but director Mike Cahill and his cast execute it beautifully." |
| 12. |
|
12/28/10 |
Outstanding |
 "The performances are winning, the story is surprising without relying on unlikely twists, and the relationships are the richest and most nuanced since Leigh's 'Secrets & Lies.' " |
| 13. |
|
01/13/11 |
Good |
 "...intriguing, but frustrating.... in spite of Giamatti's riveting performance, and in spite of Richard Lewis' sharp but unhurried direction, far too much is missing from this film." |
| 14. |
|
03/03/11 |
Poor |
 "...it's laughably perfunctory, as though everyone involved were too embarrassed to give it more than a half-ironic token effort." |
| 15. |
|
02/14/13 |
Weak |
 "...a morality play with no basic understanding of morality.... a film where good and evil are just empty words... banal..." |
| 16. |
|
03/01/12 |
Very Good |
 "...the film's tricky style, which plays with time, voice, and expectations, goes a long way toward spinning intrigue out of a story that could have been cloying..." |
| 17. |
|
10/06/11 |
Very Good |
 "The story's beats are modern, but the setting, visuals, pacing, and protagonist all capture classic past cinema, if not classic past innocence." |
| 18. |
|
06/21/12 |
Very Good |
 "...a film with multiple agendas and visions that don't fully work together. It's a lovely picture, but the frame could use some straightening." |
| 19. |
|
07/21/11 |
Very Good |
 "...manages to balance laughs, genuinely rousing moments, and a fully packed agenda into something fleet enough to keep running under the weight of its rich ambitions." |
| 20. |
|
02/09/12 |
Outstanding |
 "...accomplishes more with splendid design and a compelling tone than with its thin story... a heady wonder for fans of the music, the era, or visual creative art in general." |
