Fred Topel Movie Reviews & Previews

Critics » Fred Topel

Fred Topel

""Zed's dead, baby. Zed's dead." "

Agrees with the Tomatometer 62% of the time.

Favorites:: Labyrinth, Toy Story 2, The Rock, Face/Off, True Lies, The Big Hit, The Big One (Michael Moore), Casablanca
Publications:: About.com , Can Magazine , Crave Online , E! Online , FilmStew.com , Hollywood.com , IGN Movies , Madblast.com , MovieWeb , Rotten Tomatoes , Sci Fi Wire , Screen Junkies , Suite101.com

Total Reviews:: 1203
Total QuickRatings:: 359

Location:: Los Angeles, CA

Listing Of All Reviews & Articles

Showing 1 - 50 of 1203

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Rating	T-Meter	Title \| Year	Add Date
	91%	American Animal (2012)	" I think American Animal is an exercise in pure creativity, as in creativity in a vacuum with no consequence of narrative." — Screen Junkies Posted May 14, 2012
10 out of 10	31%	Detention (2012)	" If you're a film lover who watches movies all the time, it's nice to have a film or two out there that elevates the craft of watching a movie. I know I need to go to the next level sometimes." — Crave Online Posted Apr 14, 2012
7/10	100%	Sleepwalk With Me (2012)	" Birbiglia's take on relationships is irreverent, which makes it better than the usual guy complaining about his pretty fianc� movie." — Crave Online Posted Mar 28, 2012
6 out of 10	85%	Bernie (2012)	" Basically it's a movie old people will think is delightful with a nonthreatening Jack Black and only one bad word." — Crave Online Posted Mar 26, 2012
10 out of 10	100%	Indie Game: The Movie (2012)	" My favorite film of SXSW and would have been my favorite film at Sundance if I'd seen it there this year... the story of an artist making something and what it costs personally and professionally." — Crave Online Posted Mar 26, 2012
2 out of 10	24%	Seeking Justice (2012)	" There needs to be a shot of [Cage] raising his fists looking up to the sky screaming 'JUSTIIIIIIICE!' as the camera pulls up, but the movie doesn't go there." — Crave Online Posted Mar 18, 2012
2 out of 10	33%	Intruders (2012)	" I'm sorry, but Hollowface is not the next big horror icon. He's a guy in a hood with weird fingers. I think the fisherman slicker guy in I Know What You Did Last Summer was scarier. " — Crave Online Posted Mar 17, 2012
	44%	Casa de mi padre (2012)	" It seemed like an inside joke between Will Ferrell and Adam McKay that I wasn't a part of." — Crave Online Posted Mar 17, 2012
7 out of 10	85%	21 Jump Street (2012)	" The most immature R-rated movie I've ever seen. And I've seen all three Jackasses, but this is a good thing." — Crave Online Posted Mar 17, 2012
	100%	Sinister (2012)	" Horror fans will love the way it delivers on the genre with some inventive artistic flourish." — Crave Online Posted Mar 12, 2012
9 out of 10	90%	The Cabin in the Woods (2012)	" Detention, which will come out this year.. goes to the next level on meta movies. But Cabin isn't trying to be meta; it's focused on genre. Those are different types of satire so I can appreciate Cabin taking genre further than ever." — Crave Online Posted Mar 10, 2012
6 out of 10	64%	Red Hook Summer (2012)	" Crooklyn bored my teenage mind but now I can appreciate this sort of film. Now I'm so sick of plots I want to experience something different." — Crave Online Posted Feb 1, 2012
3 out of 10	38%	Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie (2012)	" Reminded me of The Jerky Boys Movie. Not right for film." — Crave Online Posted Feb 1, 2012
8 out of 10	69%	This Must Be The Place ()	" The perfect way to use Sean Penn's powers for good and not evil. He can be serious in his character and the situations are so weird we can all enjoy it." — Suite101.com Posted Feb 1, 2012
7 out of 10	80%	Wrong ()	" Being awesome is the only reason it needs, but Dupieux keeps coming at situations from an angle that bears reflection." — Crave Online Posted Feb 1, 2012
	100%	West of Memphis ()	" It's rather reassuring to know that there are some intelligent investigators who are capable of getting to the bottom of things. It still takes too long for a resolution, but they exist." — Crave Online Posted Feb 1, 2012
	60%	Save The Date ()	" Just gets it right. The tone is kind and sympathetic but juicy with drama and tension breaking comedy." — Crave Online Posted Feb 1, 2012
	88%	Beasts Of The Southern Wild (2012)	" It's the Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close of Hurricane Katrina. " — Crave Online Posted Feb 1, 2012
	91%	Corman's World: Exploits Of A Hollywood Rebel (2011)	" Most of Roger Corman's movies are not good, but the stories behind them are fascinating. So Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel tells the Roger Corman story, in his words and, even better, in the words of his famous employees." — Screen Junkies Posted Dec 22, 2011
8 out of 10	78%	The Grey (2012)	" A horizontal Cliffhanger, without any terrorists, only the elements, but you get me." — Crave Online Posted Dec 15, 2011
7 out of 10	60%	Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)	" The sequel reminded me a lot about what I liked about the first one. While it also reminded me that I thought the predecessor worked a little better, I find Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows more than satisfying." — Crave Online Posted Dec 15, 2011
5/10	75%	The Adventures of Tintin (2011)	" Today the Tintin movie resembles an homage to Raiders of the Lost Ark but if you've created the greatest unintentional homage to a work of art, then don't do the real thing." — Crave Online Posted Dec 7, 2011
9/10	93%	Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol (2011)	" They really got the 'mission' part of Mission: Impossible right this time... delivers the awesome for the holidays." — Crave Online Posted Dec 7, 2011
3 out of 10	36%	Immortals (2011)	" The one thing I did not expect from a Tarsem movie is that it wouldn't look good." — Crave Online Posted Nov 11, 2011
6 out of 10	44%	J. Edgar (2011)	" "Slightly above average but not much."" — Crave Online Posted Nov 10, 2011
9 out of 10	80%	Haywire (2012)	" Gee, isn't it cool how exciting a static shot with wonderfully composed action in it can be? The climax creates awesome out of such simple presentation, it's indie basics as Hollywood blockbuster at work." — Crave Online Posted Nov 10, 2011
	67%	Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)	" It really is the biggest Paranormal Activity, if bigger minimalism is possible... The most paranormal of any Activity? Or the most activity in any Paranormal?" — Crave Online Posted Sep 29, 2011
	41%	Straw Dogs (2011)	" In 2011, it's about: the way we treat each other will inevitably lead to violence. So let's work things out, okay?" — Crave Online Posted Sep 15, 2011
	25%	Apollo 18 (2011)	" Every great horror movement eventually has to make it into space. Hellraiser went there, Jason went there, even Leprechaun went there. Now the found footage genre goes into space. Thank God too." — Crave Online Posted Sep 5, 2011
	83%	Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)	" It's worth it for the ape rampage, but we're making a devil's bargain here. Thank you for the awesome ape action, and we'll tolerate the script." — Screen Junkies Posted Aug 5, 2011
	25%	The Change-Up (2011)	" "A watchable generic comedy. It's okay for a night out or a DVD, but it's hard to call it good."" — Screen Junkies Posted Aug 3, 2011
	78%	Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011)	" [Gosling's] swagger is good enough but not so great that I'm jealous of his lines. That's Mr. Notebook for you." — Screen Junkies Posted Jul 26, 2011
	44%	Cowboys & Aliens (2011)	" This isn't the Oscar-y western like True Grit or Unforgiven. It's like the real westerns of old Hollywood and the Italian era, just a great yarn with cool characters." — Screen Junkies Posted Jul 25, 2011
	79%	Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)	" A fun origin story in the Spider-Man model. It's got the heart of an underdog really experiencing the wonder of his new powers. I'm not saying it's as good as Sam Raimi's film, but I'll take a solid copy of that over the likes of Thor." — Screen Junkies Posted Jul 20, 2011
	96%	Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (2011)	" It's almost a good thing to have a lousy Deathly Hallows Part I to get all the explaining out of the way, and leave all the good parts for a kick-ass Part II." — Screen Junkies Posted Jul 13, 2011
	69%	Horrible Bosses (2011)	" No point lamenting the missed opportunity for a really dark satire, because they were never going to make that movie. At least this trio kept it entertaining." — Screen Junkies Posted Jul 6, 2011
	35%	Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)	" Guys, stop telling Hollywood you want more story in your blockbusters. They don't get it. They think it just means adding more explanation. Each sequel has a BIGGER plot that overshadows the action by sheer magnitude. " — Screen Junkies Posted Jun 29, 2011
	72%	The Future (2011)	" July breaks narrative structure like an experimental film, but never violates the narrative like a French New Wave film might. " — Screen Junkies Posted Jun 27, 2011
	60%	Mr. Nobody (2009)	" I relate to most movies by thinking about my past. Mr. Nobody has me evaluating my future." — Screen Junkies Posted Jun 27, 2011
	59%	Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark (2011)	" You definitely get your money's worth in several scenes of full on little armies stabbing and grabbing." — Screen Junkies Posted Jun 27, 2011
	38%	Cars 2 (2011)	" Bad creative decision #1: Making Cars a spy movie. The whole point of Cars 1 was to slow down and appreciate life. Now it's a busy generic caper. Bad creative decision #2: Cars with guns. " — Screen Junkies Posted Jun 24, 2011
	85%	A Better Life (2011)	" A real thriller with intense stakes, against the backdrop of a relevant social issue." — Screen Junkies Posted Jun 23, 2011
	28%	L!fe Happens (2012)	" The movie I wanted Bridesmaids to be." — Screen Junkies Posted Jun 23, 2011
	80%	Natural Selection (2012)	" A really beautiful performance by Harris. That's a revelation to some people but I never doubted she had it in her. Why wouldn't a successful comedian be an all around engaging thespian?" — Screen Junkies Posted Jun 23, 2011
	44%	Bad Teacher (2011)	" It doesn't quite go all the way into dark comedy but it's unapologetically cynical and that makes for good laughs." — Screen Junkies Posted Jun 22, 2011
	93%	Drive (2011)	" A takedown in a strip club is so intense, you will not even be gawking at the nude dancers because Gosling's presence is so commanding." — Screen Junkies Posted Jun 19, 2011
	90%	Attack the Block (2011)	" These are the kinds of indie movies we want to see, where it's the ideas that stand out." — Screen Junkies Posted Jun 17, 2011
	48%	Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011)	" It totally delivers on having Jim Carrey and penguins in it. Really not much to say here. The movie does everything it promises to, it's cute, it's light and that's fine." — Screen Junkies Posted Jun 17, 2011
	27%	Green Lantern (2011)	" More fun than Thor, because the constructs are just more fun to watch than big dudes hitting each other." — Screen Junkies Posted Jun 16, 2011

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