Bill Zwecker Movie Reviews & Previews

Critics » Bill Zwecker

Bill Zwecker

Agrees with the Tomatometer 65% of the time.

Biography:: Chicago Sun-Times film critic.
Publications:: Chicago Sun-Times

Total Reviews:: 51

Listing Of All Reviews & Articles

Showing 1 - 50 of 51

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Rating	T-Meter	Title \| Year	Add Date
3/4	47%	Olympus Has Fallen (2013)	" While the storyline and dialogue are frequently predictable, "Olympus Has Fallen" succeeds largely due to Butler's believablity as a Secret Service agent." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Mar 21, 2013
3/4	88%	Bolt (2008)	" It's not a 'gourmet' banquet on the order of Ratatouille or the first Shrek, but this peppy picture is certainly more than a cinematic 'snack,' and for its 96-minute running time will not bore kids, the parents or other adults joining them." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Nov 21, 2008
2.5/4	27%	What Happens in Vegas (2008)	" Though likely not a film you'll remember a month after seeing it, it does hit most of the right notes for a good date flick." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted May 9, 2008
2/4	14%	Made of Honor (2008)	" Dempsey and Monaghan -- and the rest of the cast, for that matter -- give it their all, but it just isn't enough to lift this formulaic nonsense out of the stew of mediocrity in which it merely simmers from start to finish." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted May 2, 2008
4/4	93%	Iron Man (2008)	" Iron Man is simply great escapism. It deserves to be the first blockbuster of the summer." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted May 1, 2008
3.5/4	63%	Baby Mama (2008)	" One of the funniest movies to be released so far this year." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Apr 25, 2008
3/4	41%	27 Dresses (2008)	" 27 Dresses is one heck of a happy date movie. Smiling faces are guaranteed on all seen exiting when the credits finally do roll here." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Jan 18, 2008
2.5/4	28%	The Game Plan (2007)	" Yes, this is a road we've traveled down before, but at least this time, it's paved with a lot of charm and heart." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Sep 28, 2007
2.5/4	50%	Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007)	" For younger audiences, Mr. Bean's Holiday will be a pleasure, and of course, Bean addicts will, as always, be happy to see Atkinson's alter ego return to the big screen." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Aug 24, 2007
1.5/4	1%	Daddy Day Camp (2007)	" The acting is atrocious and more obvious than you see in many high school or college productions. The jokes are stale. The storyline is so predictable, I'll bet nearly everyone in the theater will guess what happens next." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Aug 8, 2007
2/4	14%	I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (2007)	" It all boils down to a horrible waste of talent." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Jul 20, 2007
2/4	50%	Nancy Drew (2007)	" Overall, it feels lame. A disappointing revival of a classic character." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Jun 15, 2007
3/4	60%	Gracie (2007)	" It's a sweet and uplifting film, and though quite predictable, gives us a family drama that showcases simple truths about overcoming seemingly impossible odds and leaves you with a warm and very satisfying feeling deep down." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Jun 1, 2007
2.5/4	70%	28 Weeks Later... (2007)	" While the plot is relatively predictable, the pacing will keep audiences riveted and likely fascinated by the ways Fresnadillo and his team deliver death and mayhem." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted May 11, 2007
3/4	19%	The Ex (2007)	" Braff and Bateman engage in a beautiful comedic, verbal ballet that made me laugh much more than I would have thought I would, given what I knew about the story before watching the film. Both actors display on-target timing." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted May 11, 2007
3/4	49%	The Flying Scotsman (2006)	" Even for audiences who normally would not be interested in cycling, The Flying Scotsman is a good choice, because this film is about so much more. Miller has given us an appealing, if unusual, protagonist who leads us to cheer him on in life." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted May 4, 2007
3/4	66%	Meet the Robinsons (2007)	" Though state-of-the-art technically, I think you'll find there's a healthy, old-fashioned feel to this movie -- one that will make you walk out of the theater feeling satisfied, and all warm 'n fuzzy inside." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Mar 30, 2007
2.5/4	45%	Pride (2007)	" Pride is a lovingly-presented homage to the heroism of Jim Ellis' life and his life's work." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Mar 23, 2007
2.5/4	48%	Shooter (2007)	" While it's fast-paced and often something of a nail-biter, Shooter doesn't really pay off, other than merely give us a lot of action, merely for action's sake." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Mar 23, 2007
2/4	8%	Premonition (2007)	" The most irritating thing about this film is its overall lack of clear direction. Bullock is always running around in a sort of a fog, dashing from scene to scene, but with no sense of purpose." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Mar 16, 2007
2/4	8%	Gray Matters (2007)	" Nearly every scene of this movie rings hollow, mainly because we can never really believe that what we're seeing up on the screen could truly happen." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Mar 9, 2007
1.5/4	14%	Wild Hogs (2007)	" This is just another waste of time I'd really hate for you to undergo -- and pay for." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Mar 2, 2007
2.5/4	8%	The Number 23 (2007)	" A thriller like this needs to pack a lot of firepower on the backend. Unfortunately, all we get is a weak, much-anticipated little pop." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Feb 23, 2007
2.5/4	34%	Reno 911!: Miami (2007)	" For the most part, this movie feels like a just-missed effort." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Feb 23, 2007
2/4	44%	Night at the Museum (2006)	" A film that veers, often without much direction, between a family-friendly comic romp and an attempt to touch our souls with heartfelt emotion." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Jan 3, 2007
4/4	74%	The Painted Veil (2006)	" [Director] Curran has crafted a film that accomplishes so much. It not only draws us into this personal drama between his two principal actors, but also sets it all against a vibrant background of an ancient civilization struggling to become modern." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Dec 29, 2006
0/4	31%	Unaccompanied Minors (2006)	" Unaccompanied Minors may not be the worst holiday comedy ever made, but frankly I can't think of something from that genre that sinks lower than this frighteningly bad movie." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Dec 8, 2006
3/4	38%	The Nativity Story (2006)	" A refreshingly unadorned example of straightforward storytelling." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Dec 1, 2006
3/4	55%	Déjà Vu (2006)	" Deja Vu takes you on a wonderfully twisting and turning journey that often will leave you wondering and perhaps confused -- but ultimately leaves you with a satisfying and totally logical explanation when the credits role." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Nov 22, 2006
2.5/4	75%	Happy Feet (2006)	" Overall, this is an enjoyable ride, despite the occasional preaching." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Nov 17, 2006
	83%	Come Early Morning (2006)	" 'Come Early Morning' is a terrific accomplishment by [Joey Lauren] Adams -- a commendable first effort, making me hope that it's merely the beginning of a promising new aspect of her career as both a director and a writer." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Nov 10, 2006
3/4	48%	Harsh Times (2006)	" This is a powerful film that combines a number of 'what if' situations with some true tragic moments and even a number of oddly funny situations." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Nov 10, 2006
3/4	25%	A Good Year (2006)	" A pleasant jaunt through one of the most beautiful places on the planet -- encased in a story that ends up making you feel that all is right with the world." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Nov 10, 2006
3/4	75%	Catch a Fire (2006)	" Having first burst on the scene in his groundbreaking title role in Antwone Fisher, Luke delivers here a top-notch performance that is nuanced and layered, with just the right emotional punch." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Oct 27, 2006
2.5/4	21%	Man of the Year (2006)	" Williams' scene as Dobbs debating his presidential opponents alone is worth the price of admission to this film. It is laugh-out-loud hysterical." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Oct 13, 2006
4/4	87%	The Last King of Scotland (2006)	" This is director Kevin MacDonald's first feature film, yet along with cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle, he has produced a motion picture that will become an instant political classic." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Oct 6, 2006
2/4	48%	Open Season (2006)	" While the filmmakers here have provided us with a passable tale that is mildly humorous, Open Season breaks no new ground, from neither the animation nor the storytelling." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Sep 29, 2006
2/4	33%	Flyboys (2006)	" Those amazing young heroes from the second decade of the last century -- our first true fighter pilots -- deserve so much more than what's served up in this very disappointing attempt." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Sep 22, 2006
3.5/4	74%	Sherrybaby (2006)	" Gyllenhaal presents us with an indelible character study that will be seared into our minds for a long time to come." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Sep 15, 2006
3/4	46%	The Last Kiss (2006)	" ... an intelligent and often very entertaining picture that deals with so many aspects of human relationships." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Sep 15, 2006
2.5/4	40%	Everyone's Hero (2006)	" It's a shame that Christopher Reeve's final directorial effort could not have been a more fitting, and lasting, tribute." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Sep 15, 2006
2.5/4	42%	Gridiron Gang (2006)	" Though it doesn't really teach us anything new, Gridiron Gang -- mainly due to the powerful screen presence of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson -- is mildly entertaining and, at times, somewhat compelling." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Sep 15, 2006
3/4	93%	Lassie (2006)	" No question about it, Lassie is a very traditional film, but good storytelling, fine acting and beautiful photography add up to a solid family entertainment that never lets us forget who the real star is." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Sep 1, 2006
0.5/4	41%	Beerfest (2006)	" My best suggestion for people who insist on going to see this immense waste of time? Go drunk." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Aug 25, 2006
3/4	58%	How to Eat Fried Worms (2006)	" Issues like family harmony, justice, righting wrongs and telling the truth never go out of fashion and that comes across strong and clear in this less-than-perfect, but still solid, feel-good film." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Aug 25, 2006
2/4	22%	The Oh in Ohio (2006)	" At the end of the day, Kent and screenwriter Adam Wierzbianski have given us a mildly amusing premise, but fail to turn it into a story that takes us anywhere pleasurable." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Aug 12, 2006
2.5/4	22%	Barnyard (2006)	" The basically good -- though not very inspired -- Barnyard just stirred up a lot of 'been there, done that' feelings in me as I watched this film." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Aug 4, 2006
1.5/4	18%	Shadowboxer (2005)	" Daniels offers a lame attempt to do what Quentin Tarantino has frequently done better -- and with far more cinematic artistry." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Jul 28, 2006
3/4	63%	The Ant Bully (2006)	" In a year when already we've been treated to a wonderful collection of animated films The Ant Bully is a delightful addition. It teaches us a lesson about acceptance without it cramming it down our throats." — Chicago Sun-Times Posted Jul 28, 2006

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