|
| 1. |
|
01/22/09 |
Good |
 "...this one's predominant theme that reading can be rewarding is plenty to elevate it above other empty-calorie kids' flicks." |
| 2. |
|
01/29/09 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "...remarkable not because there's a whole lot going on -- in fact, you'll likely leave the theater thinking, 'That's it?' -- but because what little does happen makes sense." |
| 3. |
|
02/05/09 |
Outstanding |
 "...viewers will want to watch it repeatedly to catch everything -- that is, if the ghost children that appear in the final acts don't spook them away for good." |
| 4. |
|
02/05/09 |
Poor |
 "...as bumbling as its protagonist." |
| 5. |
|
02/12/09 |
Poor |
 "...tone-deaf... it would be nearly impossible to squeeze in more clichés -- best-friend fights, mistaken identity, knocked-over waiters, and a challenged romance..." |
| 6. |
|
02/12/09 |
Poor |
 "It's natural for a thriller to lead you down rabbit holes. But when one of these rabbit holes takes you to Kevin Costner via a sitcom, it's time for a rewrite." |
| 7. |
|
02/19/09 |
Weak |
 "Doris Dorrie does offer lovely shots of the titular blooms as well as a breathtaking view of Mount Fuji, but they're not enough to lighten this ponderous load." |
| 8. |
|
02/19/09 |
Weak |
 "Jay Baruchel, Kristin Bell, and Dan Fogler round out the supernerds, and while most of the crew are innocuously bland, Fogler is as unappealing and unfunny as ever." |
| 9. |
|
02/26/09 |
Fair |
 "...doesn't make for compelling art. The film's unflinching, verité style makes you wonder why Garrone didn't just make a documentary..." |
| 10. |
|
02/26/09 |
Weak |
 "...inexplicably casts über-goys Joaquin Phoenix and Isabella Rossellini in a squirm-inducing film about escaping a one-dimensional version of Brooklyn Jewry." |
| 11. |
|
02/26/09 |
Poor |
 "The silliness continues for the whole of the film, with Camelot conspiracies ostensibly at the film's center..." |
| 12. |
|
03/05/09 |
Outstanding |
 "You share the elation of each woman's successes and may even well up with Evgenia when a loyal follower tells her: 'Do you realize what you make an audience feel?" |
| 13. |
|
03/05/09 |
Poor |
 "...every carefully calibrated minute bellows 'Worship me!' while simultaneously sucking your air." |
| 14. |
|
03/12/09 |
Moderate |
 "...funny, intriguing, exciting, and even a little scary... until about midway through, by which point 'Witch Mountain' has become less of a race than a slog." |
| 15. |
|
03/12/09 |
Excellent |
 "A 94-minute debate about the death penalty may not sound like the most captivating cinema, but anyone who's gotten jazzed by a lively philosophy class (hello?) should find this fascinating." |
| 16. |
|
03/19/09 |
Very Good |
 "...the film is too genial not to enjoy: Malkovich, in a bad toupee, is hilarious as he plays up Buck's retro flamboyance or misplaced anger..." |
| 17. |
|
03/19/09 |
Fair |
 "Besides its unoriginality, 'Sunshine Cleaning's' worst offense is its bobbled tone.... you'll forget its best moments with a roll of the eyes." |
| 18. |
|
03/26/09 |
Good (Not Great) |
 "...reenacts 'Lystistrata,' cutesily." |
| 19. |
|
03/26/09 |
Weak |
 "...settles into something resembling an honest discussion about race... It's ugly, it's raw, but it feels truthful, unlike the Whac-A-Stereotype game that precedes it." |
| 20. |
|
04/02/09 |
Excellent |
 "...you don't need to understand the entirety of the backstory to appreciate the filmmaking. Long, silent takes dominate..." |
