|
| 1. |
|
01/08/09 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "The modest pleasures the comedy offers are due primarily to a lovely, tremulous performance by Hathaway and occasional welcome flashes of wit that sneak through..." |
| 2. |
|
01/15/09 |
Moderate |
 "Kids will enjoy 'Dogs,' finding laughs in the ingenious inventions Bruce devises for the pets, as well as the obligatory poop jokes." |
| 3. |
|
01/15/09 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "...bracing biopic paints a sympathetic portrait, depicting Wallace as flawed but gifted." |
| 4. |
|
01/22/09 |
Weak |
 "...uneasily juggles genres: heartwarming family tale; decibel-busting, special effects-heavy action flick; and 'Harry Potter' rip-off." |
| 5. |
|
01/29/09 |
Moderate |
 "...will appeal to those who are happy to see a romantic comedy -- you know who you are -- even when its every scene and character seem recycled from an earlier, better film." |
| 6. |
|
02/05/09 |
Very Good |
 "...a splendid cautionary tale for any child who has ever, mid-tantrum, wailed, 'I'll just go find my real parents!' " |
| 7. |
|
02/05/09 |
Weak |
 "If Yoda were reviewing this rowdy comedy, he'd say, 'Execution sloppy is, but idea merit may have.' " |
| 8. |
|
02/05/09 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "Aniston is the standout, injecting subtle bittersweet notes, while Barrymore, as an ad sales rep on a losing dating streak, is left hanging with no real part to play." |
| 9. |
|
02/05/09 |
Weak |
 "How uninterested is 'Taken' in being believable?... violent, by-the-numbers... It's all tres fatigué." |
| 10. |
|
02/12/09 |
Poor |
 "...the timing couldn't be worse for opening a ditzoid comedy about a nitwit spendthrift who, though deeply in debt, becomes an advice columnist at a financial magazine." |
| 11. |
|
02/12/09 |
Moderate |
 "...falls short of its promise because its characters are only half-written and its plot is spotted with dull patches.... There's little Clive Owen or Naomi Watts can do..." |
| 12. |
|
02/19/09 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "Nicholas D'Agosto and Eric Christian Olsen play high school football stars who try cheerleading to nab babes. Surprisingly, this smart-aleck comedy grows on you." |
| 13. |
|
02/19/09 |
Very Good |
 "When it comes to playing wounded souls, as Joaquin Phoenix does in this softhearted intimate drama, he hurts so good." |
| 14. |
|
02/19/09 |
Weak |
 "...masked murderer Jason is back and still killing hotties dumb enough to wander near. No better than it needs to be." |
| 15. |
|
02/19/09 |
Outstanding |
 "...standout drama deftly weaves together multiple stories to illustrate the pervasive reach and tragic cost of organized crime..." |
| 16. |
|
02/26/09 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "Fans will love it; adults sensitive to high-decibel squeals should drop the kids off and then go home and watch their old New Kids on the Block videos." |
| 17. |
|
02/26/09 |
Moderate |
 "While competently acted, 'Crossing' moves its characters about with all the subtlety of a football coach diagramming plays on a blackboard." |
| 18. |
|
03/05/09 |
Very Good |
 "A gaggle of talented character actors boisterously strut their stuff in a loosely adapted Russian-language version of '12 Angry Men.' " |
| 19. |
|
03/05/09 |
Weak |
 "...slavishly faithful and often tedious... will please fervent fanboys but leave the rest of us wondering what the fuss is all about." |
| 20. |
|
03/05/09 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "With much heart but mixed success, the film shifts repeatedly between viewpoints of mother and daughter... Huffman gives a marvelous, complex performance." |
