Fresh 5/5
| Fresh 83%
| Avatar (2009) | "
From the music to the muse, this is clearly a James Cameron flick, clearly a masterpiece, and clearly marks a revolution in blockbusters, for if you only see one film in a 3-D cinema this year, make it Avatar." — smh.com.au Posted Dec 23, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Fresh 83%
| Broken Embraces (2009) | "
When film makers start making films about film makers, you begin to worry that they've run out of inspiration." — smh.com.au Posted Dec 23, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 100%
| The French Kissers (2009) | "
Those who feel subtitles inherently mean a dull night at the cinema, would be well advised to try French Kissers or as it should be known France 90210." — smh.com.au Posted Dec 23, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 71%
| Sherlock Holmes (2009) | "
This Sherlock Holmes combines dark arts and action, wit and tongue-in-cheek mirth, to feel like a great film adaptation of a comic book version of Holmes." — smh.com.au Posted Dec 23, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Rotten 6%
| Old Dogs (2009) | "
Those expecting new tricks or even vaguely inventive laughs from Old Dogs or its two waning stars should heed the obvious cliche." — smh.com.au Posted Dec 23, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/6
| Rotten 40%
| The Lovely Bones (2009) | "
Peter Jackson has successfully filmed hobbits in middle earth and aliens in South Africa, but struggles to combine the visuals of a teenage girl in limbo with the ordeals of a family in hell." — smh.com.au Posted Dec 23, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/5
| Fresh 84%
| Bright Star (2009) | "
Oh Bright Star, wouldst thou were a great film... but thou art not. Thou art good but bitsy." — smh.com.au Posted Dec 23, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Rotten 14%
| Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009) | "
With less edge than soup, Did You Hear About the Morgans? is a proud, plain, rom com." — smh.com.au Posted Dec 23, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Rotten 22%
| Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009) | "
A surprising array of stars play the helium voiced sextet, safe in the knowledge that noone is going to be offended by this charming chipmunk squeakquel." — smh.com.au Posted Dec 23, 2009 |
Fresh 5/5
| Fresh 88%
| Nowhere Boy (2009) | "
Setting a cracking pace, Nowhere Boy is a joyful journey into the power of personality, the finding of friends and the start of an amazing life, and to top it off, is one of the best films of the year to boot." — smh.com.au Posted Dec 23, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/5
| Rotten 57%
| 9 (2009) | "
Gorgeously animated, beautifully executed and incredibly imaginative, Shane Acker's 9 manages to nonetheless feel a little bit like something you've seen before." — smh.com.au Posted Dec 9, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 66%
| Away We Go (2009) | "
Sam Mendes' Away We Go is two thirds of a good film. Many good laughs. A decent concept. No follow through." — smh.com.au Posted Dec 9, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Rotten 23%
| Planet 51 (2009) | "
Well and truly aimed at kids, Planet 51 is a film they will thoroughly enjoy yet which any accompanying adult will have lots of laughs in too." — smh.com.au Posted Dec 9, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 77%
| The Informant! (2009) | "
Somewhere between the true story it is based on, and the gimmicks and gags brought to the tale by Damon and Sodeburgh The Informant! somehow falls between the cracks to result in only an ok movie." — Posted Dec 3, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 82%
| Paranormal Activity (2009) | "
From the changing relationship dynamics to the various reveals, this is a maestro fright flick at its shocking best. And if you're after a film that goes bump in the night, this is the one for you." — Posted Dec 3, 2009 |
Fresh 5/5
| Fresh 89%
| Zombieland (2009) | "
With its brain seeking tongue wedged firmly in its blood soaked cheek, Zombieland embraces its violence and language warnings to make a truly hysterical, enjoyable and mouth watering zom-com ride." — Posted Dec 3, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/5
| Fresh 75%
| Cold Souls (2009) | "
You'd say that Cold Souls is strange, but strange doesn't begin to describe this darkly humorous, concept film." — Posted Nov 26, 2009 |
Rotten 1/5
| Rotten 57%
| The Invention of Lying (2009) | "
Somewhere between a great concept and an awful script The Invention of Lying got lost in its own truth gimmick. But the truth is, it starts bad and just gets worse." — Posted Nov 26, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/5
| Fresh 87%
| A Serious Man (2009) | "
The talent of the Coens is such that they make this film eminently watchable, absolutely enjoyable and utterly engaging despite the fact that it's never entirely clear why we're seeing it in the first place." — Posted Nov 17, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/5
| Fresh 60%
| Prime Mover (2009) | "
Fun then fierce, light then laconic, Prime Mover is primarily entertaining, and there's nothing wrong with that." — Posted Nov 17, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/5
| Rotten 28%
| The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) | "
This is a film for the fans. Fans of the books. Fans of the first film. If you enjoyed that, you'll enjoy this. If you didn't, you have no chance here. It's a New Moon, not a new dawn." — Posted Nov 17, 2009 |
Rotten 2.5/5
| Rotten 21%
| Amelia (2009) | "
Much like one of Earhart's trans-Atlantic flights Amelia just goes on and on without deviation." — Posted Nov 15, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/5
| Fresh 72%
| The Boys Are Back (2009) | "
The Boys are Back deftly combines humour and heart in a well crafted tale of boys of all ages growing up, and if it helps, just think of it as a good film they happened to make in Australia." — Posted Nov 15, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Rotten 39%
| 2012 (2009) | "
With a planet sized disaster film, there are nation sized holes to pick at if you choose, but there's a world of fun to be had if you sit back and let the destruction wash over you in this fantastical, mind blowing visual feast." — Posted Nov 15, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 63%
| The Brothers Bloom (2009) | "
A tale full of heart, heroism and old school fun, that with the addition of just a few witty zingers could have been one of the great films of the year." — Posted Nov 15, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Rotten 38%
| The Time Traveler's Wife (2009) | "
A graceful, elegant love story, that carefully avoids quasi-science, time travelling philosophy or mills and boon style passionate embraces, focussing instead on the means by which two truly star crossed lovers cope with their unique lives together." — Posted Nov 4, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/5
| Rotten 55%
| Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009) | "
While for some there is something disconcerting about the lifeless eyes of the otherwise life like characters, it certainly lends itself to large 3D cinemas, with rubber faced characters and grand sweeping movement." — Posted Nov 4, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 75%
| Capitalism: A Love Story (2009) | "
See Capitalism: A Love Story if you like to hear the sound of Michael Moore railing against 'the man', but if you're after a good documentary there's no love here for you." — Posted Nov 4, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/5
| Fresh 77%
| Genova (2008) | "
An elegant, traumatic but ultimately rewarding tale that will leave you glad to have made the trip." — Posted Nov 4, 2009 |
Rotten 1.5/5
| Rotten 11%
| Case 39 (2010) | "
Case 39 is slow, painful and one suspects for both Cooper and Renee Zellweger full of regrets." — Posted Nov 4, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/5
| Fresh 80%
| Michael Jackson's This Is It (2009) | "
This Is It is essentially one really big DVD Special Feature, yet it has a real humanity that is enlightening, endearing and surprisingly engaging." — Posted Oct 29, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 64%
| The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) | "
This is a wonderous, dark and opulent film, that captivates and moves the audience. Fans of Ledger or Gilliam will feel rewarded for their time in the Imaginarium." — Posted Oct 29, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/5
| Rotten 44%
| The Box (2009) | "
The Box lacks the poetry and elegance of Darko, and at times mistakes randomness for mystery, however a good cast and pace mean those who enjoy debating what they just saw will have plenty to work over." — Posted Oct 29, 2009 |
Fresh 4.5/5
| Fresh 94%
| An Education (2009) | "
The most extraordinary thing about this engaging, hysterical and deeply moving film is how natural this supposedly inappropriate relationship feels." — Posted Oct 21, 2009 |
Rotten 0.5/5
| Rotten 6%
| All About Steve (2009) | "
Sandra Bullock bulldozes the line between a socially awkward character and an annoying human being in a monstrous turkey that can genuinely make a claim to being the worst film of the year" — Posted Oct 21, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 28%
| The Final Destination (2009) | "
Where some of the previous installments have been quite clever, the focus here is entirely on angling the camera so that something else can rush at us." — Posted Oct 13, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/5
| Rotten 47%
| Whatever Works (2009) | "
Whatever Works, like its lead character, takes a long while to draw us in, but once it does it is enjoyable, thoughtful and decidedly Woody." — Posted Oct 13, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 48%
| Astro Boy (2009) | "
Like a pig-iron fisted metaphor, Astro Boy the film resembles the robot, in that it is cobbled together out of parts we recognise. And as much as they don't sound like they could all work in one film, they don't." — Posted Oct 13, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/5
| Rotten 12%
| Couples Retreat (2009) | "
It's been 13 years since Swingers. Couples Retreat is a very different film from writers leading very different lives. It's fast paced. Its a bunch of skits book-ended with story. And it's a lot of fun." — Posted Oct 8, 2009 |
Rotten 3/5
| Fresh 83%
| Whip It (2009) | "
Whip It never quite finds its rhythm or energy and the actors all seem to be holding something back in a comic book tale that requires over exaggeration more than subtle nuance." — Posted Oct 8, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 89%
| Moon (2009) | "
Much more than simple escapism, Moon may not be for everyone, but it is certainly a very good film that will inspire intriguing post-cinema conversation." — Posted Oct 8, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 75%
| Julie & Julia (2009) | "
Like a beautiful home cooked meal, Julie & Julia is not perfect by industry standards, just warm, comforting and very, very enjoyable." — Posted Oct 8, 2009 |
Rotten 1.5/5
| Rotten 38%
| Imagine That (2009) | "
Imagine That is an embarrassment from which only Thomas Haden Church emerges unscathed, because he is the only one to commit fully to his eccentric character." — Posted Oct 1, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/5
| Fresh 73%
| Mao's Last Dancer (2009) | "
Don't see Mao's Last Dancer if you want a perfectly structured film. See it if you want to experience a truly amazing story." — Posted Oct 1, 2009 |
Fresh 4.5/5
| Fresh 88%
| Looking for Eric (2009) | "
Looking For Eric is a film of three halves, each almost a genre unto itself." — Posted Sep 23, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/5
| Fresh 71%
| Van Diemen's Land (2009) | "
A great film to see with your mates to inspire talk of who would eat who, how you'd eat human and the fine line between serial killer and survival." — Posted Sep 23, 2009 |
Fresh 3.5/5
| Fresh 86%
| Stone Bros. (2009) | "
Stone Bros isn't a worthy or important, topical film. All it wants is for you to laugh, and there's no doubt that you will." — Posted Sep 23, 2009 |
Fresh 5/5
| Fresh 86%
| 500 Days of Summer (2009) | "
(500) Days of Summer is a classic independent film, taking a bunch of risks and trying to break as many rules as possible, yet it is in many ways a traditional ode to love, and it will leave you yearning for the opportunity to be dumped yourself." — Posted Sep 16, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 98%
| Up (2009) | "
Pixar's latest hero is a septuagenarian, misanthropic crank. And this film is all about him. It shouldn't work. We shouldn't like him, or want to watch him. But we do. You will. And you'll love it." — Posted Sep 16, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Fresh 77%
| Valentino: the Last Emperor (2009) | "
From naked models draped in fabric, to private jet passengers draped in dogs, Valentino is a warts and all, fly on the wall insight into the life of one of the great fashion designers. Unfortunately in this flick there are more warts than all." — Posted Sep 16, 2009 |
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