Fresh 4/5
| N/A | Flooding with Love for the Kid (2009) | "
While the premise might seem like a superficial YouTube stunt, the storytelling is crafty, compelling (falling from a cliff while being chased by a helicopter?!?) and heartfelt enough to explode all sense of cheeky irony." — Time Out New York Posted Dec 30, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| Fresh 82%
| The Chaser (2008) | "
South Korean first-timer Na Hong-jin offers nasty thrills, manic foot chases and some genuinely subversive riffs on the police procedural." — Time Out New York Posted Dec 30, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 100%
| The Vicious Kind (2009) | "
Inevitably, the film devolves into weepy catharsis, but with slick cinematography and colorfully cruel dialogue for Scott to chew up and spit at every member of this fine ensemble." — L.A. Weekly Posted Dec 14, 2009 |
Rotten
| N/A | Sincerely Yours (2009) | "
Lee's film deals in fusty anti-globalization sentiments and mostly meanders -- aimlessly, impassively, and away from the rich Taiwanese canon." — Village Voice Posted Dec 8, 2009 |
Rotten
| Rotten 0%
| Transylmania (2009) | "
With stronger actors and real writers, this might’ve been a vintage comedy you could sink your...nope, not going there." — L.A. Weekly Posted Dec 7, 2009 |
Rotten 1/5
| Rotten 20%
| The Strip (2009) | "
Somewhere on the streets of Chinatown, this is a black-market DVD optimistically renamed Klerks, though even Kevin Smith’s debut didn’t seem this amateurish." — Time Out New York Posted Dec 2, 2009 |
Fresh 8/10
| Fresh 89%
| A Married Woman (1964) | "
... effortlessly and damningly dissect[s] the ugliness of beauty culture." — GreenCine Posted Nov 17, 2009 |
Fresh 6/10
| Fresh 83%
| Nenette and Boni (1996) | "
It's a melodramatic premise on paper that, in the wrong hands, might have succumbed to the sensationalism of its mildly incestuous undertones." — GreenCine Posted Nov 17, 2009 |
Fresh 6/10
| N/A | Stingray Sam (2009) | "
From rockabilly freakouts to an acoustic lullaby, the soundtrack here is diverse, catchy and easily the film's most exuberantly charming quality." — GreenCine Posted Nov 17, 2009 |
Fresh 6/10
| Fresh 89%
| Absurdistan (2008) | "
A simplistic, straightforward tale that's beautifully staged with the same wave of the magical-realism wand that powers Jeunet & Caro's Delicatessen." — GreenCine Posted Nov 17, 2009 |
Fresh 7/10
| Rotten 22%
| Next Day Air (2009) | "
Updates the spirit of blaxploitation without feeling pressed to worship or satirize it." — GreenCine Posted Nov 17, 2009 |
Fresh 7/10
| Fresh 89%
| O'Horten (2009) | "
If you can settle into [Baard Owe's] playful deadpan rhythms, a bittersweetly funny, existential mystery -- or call it a modest adventure, if that's not too oxymoronic -- awaits." — GreenCine Posted Nov 17, 2009 |
Fresh 7/10
| N/A | High School Record (2005) | "
Naturalistic, semi-improvised series of awkward comic vignettes ... nails the liberating/frightening social moments of post-pubescence in all their riches of embarrassments." — GreenCine Posted Nov 17, 2009 |
Fresh 6/10
| Rotten 16%
| Spread (2009) | "
Spread eventually reveals a gloomy raincloud of a moral meditation about unhealthy lifestyles and self-delusion." — GreenCine Posted Nov 17, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 87%
| Four Seasons Lodge (2009) | "
What’s most beautiful of all is that this document ensures that these people will indeed live on forever. Take that, Nazis!" — Time Out New York Posted Nov 11, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Fresh 61%
| The End of Poverty? (2009) | "
It’s heartbreaking, of course, but also crassly manipulative and blandly shot, too." — Time Out New York Posted Nov 11, 2009 |
Rotten
| Rotten 57%
| The Hand of Fatima (2009) | "
All the slapdash animation, stock footage, fake Robert narration, and cred-boosting testimonials here (Yoko Ono, Donovan, Genesis P. Orridge) offer less insight than father Palmer's own book-turned-doc Deep Blues." — Village Voice Posted Nov 10, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 77%
| The Good Soldier (2009) | "
Potent and wisely straightforward." — Village Voice Posted Nov 10, 2009 |
Rotten
| Rotten 42%
| Turning Green (2009) | "
Turning Green is, if nothing else, the world’s loneliest teen sex comedy." — L.A. Weekly Posted Nov 5, 2009 |
Rotten 1/5
| Rotten 13%
| Labor Day (2009) | "
The film never finds drama, focus or any greater purpose other than some dubious horn-blowing about the SEIU being singularly responsible for electing President Obama." — Time Out New York Posted Oct 28, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Rotten 25%
| Looking for Palladin (2009) | "
We’ve seen enough movies to know Joshua will stop being a jerk after he learns the true meaning of Christmas, but it’s almost impossible to disparage such genuine warmth." — Time Out New York Posted Oct 28, 2009 |
Rotten 1/5
| Rotten 17%
| How To Seduce Difficult Women (2009) | "
This shapeless series of unfunny vignettes (interspersed with pointless street interviews) deserves to be slapped hard." — Time Out New York Posted Oct 28, 2009 |
Rotten
| Rotten 22%
| The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (2009) | "
Duffy is still chasing his perfect slide-and-shoot, except now with more self-satisfied posturing, awkward pop-culture referencing, casual homophobia and racism, and the most vulgar co-opting of religious iconography this side of Dan Brown." — Village Voice Posted Oct 27, 2009 |
Rotten
| Rotten 37%
| Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (2009) | "
The vampire trend continues, but the only authentic bloodsuckers in Cirque du Freak are its producers and studio execs." — Village Voice Posted Oct 20, 2009 |
Rotten
| Fresh 62%
| Food Beware: The French Organic Revolution (2009) | "
Food Beware doesn't even work as cinematic spinach since the nutritional value of its case is as light as a rice cake." — Village Voice Posted Oct 14, 2009 |
Fresh
| Rotten 56%
| Trucker (2009) | "
There may as well be a road sign announcing Diane's transformation from reckless loner to diligent mother, but it's a smooth ride thanks to Monaghan, and an impressive ensemble." — Village Voice Posted Oct 6, 2009 |
Rotten
| Fresh 61%
| Peter and Vandy (2009) | "
DiPietro's screenplay is emotionally myopic. His sharpest written exchanges -- and there aren't many -- get buried under his inexplicable need to embrace the non-linear conceit." — Village Voice Posted Oct 6, 2009 |
Fresh 4/5
| N/A | Where is Where? (2009) | "
Finnish visual artist Eija-Liisa Ahtila’s experimental narrative truly pushes forward the possibilities of split-screen cinema." — Time Out New York Posted Sep 30, 2009 |
Fresh
| N/A | Paradise (2008) | "
Steadily maintaining momentum and a meditative mood without narration or editorialization is itself a feat, but more vitally, Paradise appreciates and shares the curious mysteries in the seemingly banal." — Village Voice Posted Sep 23, 2009 |
Rotten
| Rotten 35%
| Blind Date (2009) | "
It's overly faithful to the original and to Van Gogh's preferred three-camera setup." — Village Voice Posted Sep 23, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 73%
| Fuel (2009) | "
It’s a slickly enjoyable production (if unfocused and bloated), and his bullet-point tips are persuasive; but dude, there are better ways to humanize these issues than crying on camera." — Time Out New York Posted Sep 16, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 23%
| Sorority Row (2009) | "
It’s yet another ’80s slasher remake, so you know the drill...er, the tire iron pimped out with blades." — Time Out New York Posted Sep 16, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Fresh 84%
| Disgrace (2009) | "
A frustrating film full of overplayed men-as-dogs metaphors, it’s only watchable for Malkovich, who could probably read a social studies exam and still be commanding." — Time Out New York Posted Sep 16, 2009 |
— | N/A | Evangalion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone (2009) |
Click here to read article — Village Voice Posted Sep 16, 2009 |
Rotten
| Rotten 32%
| The Burning Plain (2009) | "
The Burning Plain marks Arriaga's behind-the-camera debut, and his obviousness is staggering." — Village Voice Posted Sep 15, 2009 |
Fresh
| N/A | Evangelion 1.01: You Are (Not) Alone (2009) | "
This is mighty perplexing nerd kibble, its highfalutin' philosophical and psychological banter way too outlandish to seriously engage. Yet as a visceral experience, it's entrancing." — Village Voice Posted Sep 15, 2009 |
Rotten 2/5
| Rotten 4%
| Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (2009) | "
Any amateur magician can successfully yank the tablecloth away, but it’s only impressive if there’s something of value on the table." — Time Out New York Posted Sep 9, 2009 |
Rotten
| N/A | Sandstorm (2009) | "
At best, it's a perfunctory narrative, complete with title cards that clunkily hit the same bullet points that might appear on one of those rally fliers." — Village Voice Posted Sep 9, 2009 |
Rotten
| Fresh 89%
| No Impact Man (2009) | "
How much can we possibly glean from a guy whose idealism can be measured with a calendar?" — Village Voice Posted Sep 8, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 83%
| Gogol Bordello Non-Stop (2009) | "
It's an exhilarating document." — Village Voice Posted Sep 8, 2009 |
Rotten
| Rotten 28%
| Play the Game (2009) | "
This Lifetime-ready comedy is hardly provocative -- let alone perceptive, funny, or fresh." — Village Voice Posted Aug 25, 2009 |
Rotten
| Fresh 86%
| Fifty Dead Men Walking (2009) | "
Proves how easy it is to shamelessly bilk audiences of their empathy with an "inspired by true events" credit." — Village Voice Posted Aug 18, 2009 |
Fresh
| Rotten 45%
| Shorts (2009) | "
A cute and mildly clever fantasy." — Village Voice Posted Aug 18, 2009 |
Fresh 3/5
| Fresh 91%
| Ponyo (2009) | "
What held in the animator’s previous films as eccentrically multifaceted dream logic comes off for once as a series of non sequiturs -- but really, why complain while sucking on an Everlasting Gobstopper of eye candy?" — Time Out New York Posted Aug 12, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 69%
| Loren Cass (2009) | "
A starkly lyrical portrait of angry, disaffected teens in the racially tense wake of the actual 1996 St. Petersburg, Florida, riots." — Village Voice Posted Jul 21, 2009 |
Rotten
| Rotten 29%
| Weather Girl (2009) | "
[A] humdrum but marketable comedy, starring a handful of humdrum but marketable faces from the small screen." — L.A. Weekly Posted Jul 9, 2009 |
Rotten
| Rotten 20%
| Blood: The Last Vampire (2009) | "
Unexciting, incoherent, lamely acted, and carelessly written." — Village Voice Posted Jul 8, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 81%
| Lake Tahoe (2009) | "
Coming down from the Saturday sugar rush of his 2006 comedy Duck Season, Mexican auteur Fernando Eimbcke's lovely, Yucatán-set dramedy drifts by on a similar deadpan wave of static vignettes and lingering pauses that must be 10 months pregnant." — Village Voice Posted Jul 8, 2009 |
Fresh
| Fresh 83%
| Lion's Den (2009) | "
Once the film devolves into a drag-down fight for custody with Julia's mother, only Gusman's nuance saves us from a script that seems geared more toward screeching overacting." — Village Voice Posted Jul 1, 2009 |
Rotten
| Rotten 36%
| Local Color (2009) | "
How is it that a film about the love of art can make art seem so detestable?" — Village Voice Posted Jun 24, 2009 |
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