Fresh 3/5
| Rotten 36%
| Wild Child (2009) |
Click here to read article — DVDTalk.com
DVD REVIEW Posted Nov 26, 2009 |
Rotten D-
| Rotten 21%
| The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (2009) | "
Idiotic style over some sorely needed substance....comes across cringingly rusty; a glorified fan film that only manages to make the popularity of the original picture all the more bewildering." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 25, 2009 |
Fresh A
| Fresh 92%
| Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) | "
A breathtaking cinematic marvel; Anderson finds a magnificent home nestled firmly in the luxurious textures of the animation, the dancing vocal performances, and delicious wry tone that makes for stunningly fanciful cinema." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 24, 2009 |
Rotten D-
| Rotten 6%
| Old Dogs (2009) | "
A spastic, noxious comedy, Old Dogs is scattershot and out of control, bludgeoning the audience with all sorts of eye-bulging mugging and dire cliché. It's insufferable and lazily directed." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 24, 2009 |
Rotten C
| Rotten 28%
| Ninja Assassin (2009) | "
It's a ninja story for goodness sake, but McTeigue and his writers are on the prowl for something epic, puncturing the potential of the film by taking it all so very seriously." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 24, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Fresh 71%
| The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009) | "
Wright is the miracle this picture needs, helping the material achieve an emotional tempo it wouldn't otherwise reach without her stellar contribution." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 24, 2009 |
Fresh B
| Rotten 58%
| Mammoth (2009) | "
Mammoth features sensational moments of reaction and deliberation communicated by a gifted cast, building a few symbolic global bridges, more appreciable for their design than their destination." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 24, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Fresh 72%
| The Road (2009) | "
The images are searing, but there's little for Hillcoat to bat around besides endless agony. The Road is glacial and precise, but rarely offers the viewer something to chew on besides utter finality." — Sci-Fi Movie Page Posted Nov 24, 2009 |
Rotten C-
| N/A | Make the Yuletide Gay (2009) | "
The material eventually falls apart, caught between the mechanics of an out-of-the-closet farce and a tender story of personal and familial acceptance. The festivities kick off with a hearty ho-ho-ho. They end with a disconcerting no-no-no." — DVDTalk.com Posted Nov 19, 2009 |
Rotten C-
| Rotten 33%
| The Open Road (2009) | "
The picture contains a few inspired moments of antagonism and redemption, but it's hard to get energized about a feature film that positions Timberlake in a leading role. The movie practically begs for more Bridges." — DVDTalk.com Posted Nov 19, 2009 |
Rotten C-
| Rotten 0%
| The Accidental Husband (2009) | "
The film is hinged on unapologetic formula, looking to enchant the viewer through the act of repetition, but the writing isn't smart enough to wipe the dust off the plot." — DVDTalk.com Posted Nov 19, 2009 |
Rotten D
| Rotten 16%
| Spread (2009) | "
The shortcuts are maddening, but so is Spread as a whole. Just because the lead character is an insipid, mean-spirited waste of time doesn't mean the movie has to follow suit." — DVDTalk.com Posted Nov 19, 2009 |
Rotten C
| Rotten 30%
| The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) | "
There's some hope that the series will improve over time, effectively righting every last Hardwicke wrong. This is not a quality film by any means, but it's a step up, and that's a relief." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 19, 2009 |
Rotten C+
| Fresh 74%
| The Blind Side (2009) | "
The tender interaction between Leigh Anne and Michael sustains the Blind tension, not plastic acts of tragedy or insensitive supporting characters. Too bad Leigh Anne wasn't allowed in the editing room to knock some sense into Hancock." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 19, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Fresh 82%
| Broken Embraces (2009) | "
A riveting sit, due to the filmmaker's incredible storytelling gifts, and the cast, who articulate a dreamy series of toxic encounters with sniper-like precision, tightening Almodovar's noose with exceptional skill." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 19, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Fresh 86%
| Red Cliff (2009) | "
A user-friendly spectacle of warriors and weapons, Red Cliff is a majestic motion picture that returns Woo to the sort of whirlwind screen restlessness he built his legendary name upon." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 19, 2009 |
Rotten 1/4
| Rotten 16%
| Planet 51 (2009) | "
A poorly conceived comedy spotlighting a collection of anal-centric humor that's about as appealing as baseball bat to the face." — Sci-Fi Movie Page Posted Nov 19, 2009 |
Rotten D
| Rotten 33%
| Love Hurts (2009) | "
It's bloodless material, sluggishly captured by Barra, who's trapped in directorial survival mode, terrified to color outside of the lines." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 12, 2009 |
Rotten C
| Fresh 60%
| Pirate Radio (2009) | "
Pirate Radio is a flawed piece of work, at times utterly paralyzed by muddled whimsy. It'll take some effort from the viewer to sort through this cluttered feature film." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 12, 2009 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Rotten 37%
| 2012 (2009) | "
It's cinematic waterboarding and there was more than one occasion during the film when I was convinced it was never going to end." — Sci-Fi Movie Page Posted Nov 12, 2009 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Rotten 47%
| The Box (2009) | "
Somebody get Richard Kelly a Katherine Heigl romantic comedy stat, or else we might have yet another talented filmmaker unable to wiggle free from his own cavernous pretension." — Sci-Fi Movie Page Posted Nov 6, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Fresh 82%
| Black Dynamite (2009) | "
A feisty, gleefully harebrained spoof of all things Shaft and Superfly, Dynamite is a jubilant ode to the firm cinematic pimp hand, which, in this picture, smacks bad guys around and tickles the audience with the same devotion." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 5, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Rotten 55%
| Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009) | "
A moody picture of extraordinary technical achievement, not a glazed retelling of holiday reform. The distance is unavoidable, but my hope is that audiences take the opportunity to drink in the astonishing craftsmanship of the film." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 4, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Rotten 54%
| The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009) | "
Blithe and teeming with actors having the time of their lives, Goats is a hilarious, freewheeling descent into the abyssal madness of the military machine." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 4, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Fresh 91%
| Precious: Based on the Novel PUSH by Sapphire (2009) | "
Hits several staggering low points, but the humanity is never far from view, and while uncomfortable to process at times, the film retains an impressive dramatic grip through unimaginable horror. Tyler Perry could learn a thing or two from this approach." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Nov 4, 2009 |
Rotten 1.5/4
| Rotten 18%
| The Fourth Kind (2009) | "
Attempting shock value and extraterrestrial disturbance to generate a cult smash, Kind will likely tire audiences before it ever has a chance to swindle them." — Sci-Fi Movie Page Posted Nov 4, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Rotten 46%
| Stargate (1994) | "
Has matured wonderfully, sustaining as a curious genre exercise in blockbuster yearn marked by surprising buoyancy, madly entertaining performances, and a fertile cinematic imagination behind the camera not yet corrupted by massive box office success." — Sci-Fi Movie Page Posted Nov 2, 2009 |
Fresh A
| Fresh 63%
| Love Actually (2003) | "
Bombastic audience-hooting moments aside, Curtis has written his most accomplished film, finding the energy to direct the hell out of it as well. And it's even gloriously R-rated to boot." — DVDTalk.com Posted Oct 30, 2009 |
Rotten F
| Rotten 15%
| Stan Helsing (2009) | "
At least the Scary Movie features had a budget and filmmakers with some genre battle scars. Stan Helsing is more Friedberg/Seltzer territory: random, agonizingly desperate, and dripping with laziness." — DVDTalk.com Posted Oct 30, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Rotten 40%
| Waterworld (1995) | "
Regardless of faults, I embrace Waterworld as the pure matinee escapism it was intended to be, readily devouring the sci-fi excitement both Reynolds and Costner are happy to dish up." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Oct 30, 2009 |
Rotten D
| N/A | Camille (2008) | "
It's meant to be cute and harmless, preying on romantics, but it registers more as complete absurdity, minus the soothing touch of a capable filmmaker." — DVDTalk.com Posted Oct 30, 2009 |
Rotten C-
| Rotten 47%
| Whatever Works (2009) | "
Finally catching the feature on Blu-ray after taking an absurdly stubborn stance of protest this summer, I have to say with all honesty, Sony Pictures Classics probably made the right choice to pull the picture away from further negative response." — DVDTalk.com Posted Oct 30, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Fresh 88%
| The House of the Devil (2009) | "
Devil is generously unassuming, making the film more of a secret handshake than a blood-spattered, deafening gorefest. The attention to mood and setting is marvelous." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Oct 29, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Fresh 83%
| The Horse Boy (2009) | "
Horse Boy is a valuable, stirring motion picture. It's a poignant step to understanding the mysteries of the mind and a critical, exquisite reminder of unconditional parental love." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Oct 29, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Fresh 94%
| An Education (2009) | "
Material about two tantrums and a Gossip Girl cast member away from becoming a Lifetime Original event, making the nuanced accomplishments of the feature shine all the more brightly." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Oct 29, 2009 |
Rotten D+
| Fresh 80%
| Michael Jackson's This Is It (2009) | "
Strictly pressed factory floor sweepings, packaged and sold with questionable intent to a public aching for closure...takes Jackson's musical legacy and squeezes it for every last remaining nickel." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Oct 27, 2009 |
Fresh A-
| Fresh 63%
| Hardware (1990) | "
Nearly two decades later, Hardware retains its merciless poise, and while the filmmaker has slipped into obscurity, his finest work still lunges for the throat." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Oct 26, 2009 |
Fresh A-
| N/A | Stunt Rock (1980) | "
An exceptional ride that offers thrills, grins, and an impressive argument for the supremacy of Australian cinema during the 1970s...The blast of wizard-sleeve hellfire and teeth-rattling metal sludge is irresistible." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Oct 26, 2009 |
Rotten D+
| Rotten 45%
| Saw VI (2009) | "
Would it kill these producers to take a few chances for the next adventure? It's easy to loathe a Saw picture, but to be utterly bored by one seems an unpardonable offense." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Oct 23, 2009 |
Rotten C
| Rotten 20%
| Amelia (2009) | "
What the film offers is melodrama, more interested in the aviatrix's bedroom activities than her spirit. Amelia hunts for complexity, but it only achieves a tedious middle ground." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Oct 22, 2009 |
Fresh B
| Fresh 94%
| Good Hair (2009) | "
Rock imparts a comical look at the desire to keep the natural state of black hair a distant memory. Funny stuff, though a few nuggets of information he stumbles upon introduce a semi-horror film element to the documentary." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Oct 22, 2009 |
Rotten C-
| Rotten 38%
| Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (2009) | "
Labored and often tedious, the picture is a friendly stab at Burtonesque macabre antics, but director Paul Weitz is in way over his head trying to juggle huge portions of the grotesque and the epic." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Oct 22, 2009 |
Rotten 2/4
| Rotten 48%
| Astro Boy (2009) | "
By nudging the picture into primary colors, Astro Boy loses a shot at an intriguing personality. A little sustained darkness never hurt anyone." — Sci-Fi Movie Page Posted Oct 21, 2009 |
Rotten D
| Rotten 11%
| The Stepfather (2009) | "
100 minutes of dopey behavior and filmmaking inanity wrapped up tight in a bland, gutless PG-13 wooby, taking a proven premise and watering it down to a parade of nonsense created only to tickle gullible teen audiences." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Oct 15, 2009 |
Rotten C+
| Fresh 71%
| Where the Wild Things Are (2009) | "
Spike Jonze obviously has his heart in the right place here, but extending something so perfectly concise, so willingly brief, to an absurd length invites more trouble than triumph. The rumpus runs out of steam quickly." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Oct 15, 2009 |
Rotten C+
| Rotten 25%
| Law Abiding Citizen (2009) | "
By the time a robot shows up in a graveyard to mow down the greater Philadelphia D.A. office, it'll take a heavenly force to keep most eyes from rolling." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Oct 15, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| Fresh 87%
| A Serious Man (2009) | "
A classic black comic strangling by the Coens, who leave no domestic discomfort behind. In fact, all this film contains is unease, making it a perfect itchy sweater film for those who enjoy their cinema on the suffocating side." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Oct 15, 2009 |
Fresh B+
| N/A | Into Temptation (2009) | "
Sharply constructed with a heavy spray of noirish aroma, Temptation is a uniquely accomplished indie film, wielding salacious material sensitively, building an intoxicating sense of intrigue and discomfort." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Oct 15, 2009 |
Rotten C
| Fresh 65%
| Coco Before Chanel (2009) | "
A static, familiar romantic tragedy. It lacks electricity, and while gorgeously produced and smartly acted, the stillness of the film is often insufferable." — BrianOrndorf.com Posted Oct 15, 2009 |
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