Rotten 2.5/4
| Rotten 51%
| Cheri (2009) | "
A movie like Cheri needs the time and space of The Age of Innocence. Instead, it's rushed along in an hour and 40 minutes." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Jul 3, 2009 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Rotten 59%
| Surveillance (2009) | "
Its mad killers may wear masks. But the real and cheap disguise here is the film's own -- an exploitation shocker trying to pass itself off as art." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Jul 3, 2009 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Rotten 44%
| The Girl From Monaco (2009) | "
It's often sparkling, always stylish -- but ultimately no more significant than another day at an overpriced resort." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Jul 3, 2009 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Rotten 17%
| I Hate Valentine's Day (2009) | "
For I Hate Valentine's Day, Vardalos has chosen to direct. And that's a mistake that only compounds the ones in her screenplay." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Jul 3, 2009 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Fresh 66%
| Public Enemies (2009) | "
What's the reason to make this movie, now?" — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Jun 30, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 44%
| Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) | "
This is pretty silly stuff, even for a children's movie, and it sort of sells out the one original point the series used to have: Here was a prehistoric adventure that refused to go the yabba-dabbo-do route." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Jun 30, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Rotten 56%
| The Stoning of Soraya M. (2009) | "
What keeps us watching is the path -- from outrage, to fear, to resigned martyrdom -- of Mozhan Marno, who plays the blameless victim, and the speak-truth-to-power courage of Aghdashloo as her tireless advocate, desperately looking for justice." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Jun 25, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/4
| Fresh 97%
| The Hurt Locker (2009) | "
Offers a fresh take on the war and the men in it." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Jun 25, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 44%
| My Sister's Keeper (2009) | "
Don't avoid My Sister's Keeper because it's a film about a serious issue. Avoid it because it approaches that issue like a very special episode of Grey's Anatomy -- complete with whining pop songs and all the comforts of cliche." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Jun 25, 2009 |
Rotten 1/4
| Rotten 19%
| Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) | "
It's all pretty numbing." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Jun 23, 2009 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Rotten 46%
| Whatever Works (2009) | "
As a holding pattern until Allen gets a new, better movie together, this works for now." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Jun 19, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 80%
| $9.99 (2009) | "
[Director] Rosenthal gives the entire production a lovely, fine-art look, and a real feeling that we're looking at life as it's lived -- even if there are angels involved, and everyone is made of modeling clay." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Jun 19, 2009 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Fresh 66%
| Dead Snow (2009) | "
If you're in the mood for splatter, well, any film in which someone avoids a nasty fall by grabbing not a rope but a slowly unwinding intestine is certainly in the mood to deliver it." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Jun 19, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 46%
| The Proposal (2009) | "
A mostly harmless, completely unsurprising romantic comedy." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Jun 19, 2009 |
Rotten 1/4
| Rotten 17%
| Year One (2009) | "
Has neither wit nor wisdom nor charm nor beauty." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Jun 19, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Rotten 50%
| The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009) | "
We've been waiting too long for a sharp little urban thriller with a couple of tense scenes and one fine, bold performance. Given the time, we'll grab this express train, happily." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Jun 12, 2009 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Fresh 82%
| Pontypool (2009) | "
For a while, this claustrophobic little horror movie is a dark little treat." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Jun 5, 2009 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Fresh 66%
| Away We Go (2009) | "
Away We Go promises a funky emotional road trip, and delivers a few funny snapshots. But it takes too many detours, tarries too long in nothing-to-do backwaters, and finally arrives at a destination that was inevitable from the start." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Jun 5, 2009 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Rotten 8%
| What Goes Up (2009) | "
The whole thing feels like a premeditated attempt at a Sundance sensation, a mix of cast members (and ideas) from Juno and Hamlet 2 spiced up with the now obligatory '80s references." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Jun 5, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 78%
| The Hangover (2009) | "
Every summer needs at least one silly, dirty comedy, but The Hangover may end up being one of the few to actually get the mix right." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Jun 5, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 87%
| O'Horten (2009) | "
A veteran actor of half-a-century's standing (and several Lars von Trier projects), his wry, detached decency is a large part of the film's charm as he greets his new life's surprises with calm, slightly puzzled good humor." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted May 28, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 93%
| Drag Me To Hell (2009) | "
If all you want are shocks and bumps and screams and laughs and a couple of they-did-NOT-just-show-that jawdroppers -- then Drag Me To Hell is definitely the funhouse ride for you." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted May 28, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/4
| Fresh 97%
| Up (2009) | "
Up, the latest lovely fantasy from the artists at Disney's Pixar animation, it's a truly fantastic adventure -- a lighter-than-air daydream about a cranky widower, a chubby boy and their amazing journey." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted May 28, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 58%
| The Girlfriend Experience (2009) | "
Whatever talents Grey may demonstrate in her other films are completely absent here." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted May 22, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 32%
| Terminator Salvation (2009) | "
Skynet may not have ensured its own future, yet. But their robots have clearly made serious inroads in our movies." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted May 20, 2009 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Fresh 77%
| Big Man Japan (2009) | "
It's as much fun as an old, popcorn-throwing kiddie matinee of Destroy All Monsters -- and far funnier intentionally than most superhero movies are accidentally." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted May 15, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Rotten 46%
| Management (2009) | "
A large part of Management's charm, [is that] it wanders through some fresh locations (Maryland, Arizona and Washington), takes some offbeat detours and just generally refuses to be predictable." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted May 15, 2009 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Rotten 37%
| Angels & Demons (2009) | "
Angels and Demons is a truly handsome production, seamlessly mixing real locations with beautifully detailed sets. There are a few good performances here, and some thrills. Yet there's a flatness to the plotting." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted May 15, 2009 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Fresh 76%
| Outrage (2009) | "
It would be nice if the film had less of [McGreevey] and even more on some of its lying politicians. And was willing to entertain, at least for a moment, the idea that other motives might be at work than simple, internalized self-hatred." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted May 8, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Fresh 75%
| Adoration (2009) | "
Although the intent is clearly to keep us off balance as to what's real, it also unbalances the movie, hampering its ability to build suspense or involve us in its characters." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted May 8, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 70%
| Rudo and Cursi (2009) | "
It gives a far deeper and more engaging portrait of Mexico -- rich and poor, rural and urban, old and new -- than you're likely to find anywhere else this week." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted May 8, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 68%
| Julia (2009) | "
Like any beautiful, heartbreaking wreck -- we can never take our eyes off Julia. Or the fierce and uncompromising actress bringing her to awful, astonishing life." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted May 8, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 33%
| The Limits of Control (2009) | "
The Limits of Control feels like a dream I had after a slightly off paella and way too much bad wine." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted May 1, 2009 |
Rotten 1/4
| Rotten 46%
| Battle for Terra (2009) | "
A cheap and tiresome outer space cartoon aimed at restless children, desperate parents and people who'll watch anything in 3-D." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted May 1, 2009 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Rotten 36%
| X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) | "
If it's truly an 'Origins' tale, as advertised -- well, where are the explanations?" — Newark Star-Ledger Posted May 1, 2009 |
Fresh 2.5/4
| Rotten 55%
| The Soloist (2009) | "
The movie still entertains -- thanks to Downey's staccato rhythms and Foxx's secret melodies. But it remains flawed." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Apr 24, 2009 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Rotten 41%
| Fighting (2009) | "
There's a better movie inside it struggling to get out." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Apr 24, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 83%
| Treeless Mountain (2009) | "
Too many filmmakers look down -- literally and figuratively -- on children. But in the carefully observed Treeless Mountain, So Young Kim gets us to immediately identify with her young heroines." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Apr 24, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Fresh 85%
| Earth (2009) | "
For a round-the-world trip, it feels a bit like a budget bus tour." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Apr 24, 2009 |
Rotten 1/4
| Rotten 15%
| The Informers (2009) | "
The film is as flat as the Hollywood sign, with beautiful young people, all blonde, mostly naked, trying desperately to get up the energy to order something else from room service." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Apr 24, 2009 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Fresh 86%
| Tyson (2009) | "
A grab bag of occasional split-screens and sometimes overlapping or echoing dialogue -- all of which does more to obscure than illuminate the self-deceiving subject." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Apr 24, 2009 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Rotten 56%
| 17 Again (2009) | "
Can't we just watch Freaky Friday again? Really, I'd take either version at this point." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Apr 17, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Fresh 67%
| Is Anybody There? (2009) | "
Caine is still obviously capable of pulling a great performance out of a middling film." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Apr 17, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 92%
| Every Little Step (2009) | "
It's impossible not to get caught up in their struggles. This is the real American Idol, except there's no packaged tour, no People cover, no guaranteed record-deal on the end -- just the chance to do eight shows a week." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Apr 17, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 85%
| State of Play (2009) | "
Holds together in proper, conspiracy-thriller style, providing general audiences with a few good surprises and some crackling performances." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Apr 17, 2009 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Fresh 71%
| American Violet (2009) | "
The badly titled American Violet comes from filmmakers who had clearly made up their minds long before they had written a word. And it's aimed at people who have too, before they've seen a frame." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Apr 17, 2009 |
Fresh 3/4
| Fresh 98%
| Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2009) | "
Director Sacha Gervasi finds a funky charm in this pair." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Apr 10, 2009 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Rotten 55%
| Lymelife (2009) | "
The film itself never becomes more than a trip back to the same suburban dystopia we've been visiting since at least Welcome to the Dollhouse." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Apr 10, 2009 |
Rotten 2.5/4
| Rotten 51%
| Observe and Report (2009) | "
In the end, Observe and Report falls in the somewhat confusing middle -- guaranteed to annoy the mainstream while not quite delivering the final twist and bitter irony the true comic cultists crave." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Apr 10, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 28%
| Fast & Furious (2009) | "
People who want nothing more out of a movie than an extended rap video -- there's lots of hip-hop, close-ups of cars, and women in shiny tiny shorts -- may be satisfied. But this movie isn't much more than a re-do of the first film in the series." — Newark Star-Ledger Posted Apr 3, 2009 |
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