|
2/5
|
——
|
Iron Man: Rise Of Technovore (2013) |
"
Animated Iron Man adventure is convoluted and violent."
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Apr 26, 2013
|
|
3/4
|
77%
|
42 (2013) |
"
It can't be argued that 42 reaches the depth and complexity of [L.A. Confidential], but what Helgeland does give us is a wonderful, huge, glossy, mythical portrait of America's growing pains."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Apr 22, 2013
|
|
2.5/4
|
55%
|
Oblivion (2013) |
"
It borrows at least half the plot from Duncan Jones's amazing, underrated Moon (2009). Worse, it takes all the elements that made Moon work and removes them."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Apr 22, 2013
|
|
4/4
|
42%
|
To The Wonder (2013) |
"
It's a movie to be purely explored, felt and intuited. "To the Wonder" is an example of filmmaking of the highest degree, placing Malick alongside Bresson, Kubrick and Antonioni."
—
San Francisco Examiner
Posted Apr 16, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
100%
|
The Railway Children (1970) |
"
Great British family classic is rewarding for families. "
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Apr 12, 2013
|
|
|
91%
|
The Informer (1935) |
"
The film's gorgeous black-and-white cinematography -- with its streams of fog and sparkling cobblestones -- gave audiences a new glimpse as to the potential artistry of cinema. "
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Mar 28, 2013
|
|
|
100%
|
The Lost Patrol (1934) |
"
Ford and his longtime screenwriter Dudley Nichols center on character interaction and keep the action mainly off-camera for a startlingly tense film."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Mar 28, 2013
|
|
|
100%
|
The Long Voyage Home (1940) |
"
An eerily beautiful wartime film."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Mar 28, 2013
|
|
|
——
|
The Sun Shines Bright (1953) |
"
A marvelously entertaining film, laid back and effortlessly told, despite the social commentary and intertwining subplots. "
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Mar 28, 2013
|
|
|
——
|
Tobacco Road (1941) |
"
John Ford's weirdest film plays like a flip-side of -- or an alternate reality to -- The Grapes of Wrath. "
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Mar 27, 2013
|
|
1/5
|
0%
|
InAPPropriate Comedy (2013) |
"
There's no way anyone could have guessed just how offensive, brutally awful, grossly unfunny, and absolutely poisonous this garbage could have turned out to be. "
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Mar 26, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
80%
|
Brick (2006) |
"
Smart, stylized teen whodunit with violence and drugs."
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Mar 22, 2013
|
|
2/5
|
43%
|
Waiting For Lightning (2012) |
"
The construction is more like a TV reality show than a work of journalism or personal exploration; it's meant to keep you tuned in without actually revealing anything. "
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Mar 20, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
86%
|
Akira (2001) |
"
Extremely violent classic introduced anime to Westerners."
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Mar 15, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
30%
|
Emperor (2013) |
"
Webber takes a simple, classical approach that makes Emperor feel as if it could have been a movie from the period in which it takes place. "
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Mar 8, 2013
|
|
3.5/4
|
59%
|
Oz the Great and Powerful (2013) |
"
The movie's success comes from the sheer joy and personality Raimi brings to it. Even working on a gargantuan scale, he's still making the movies he loves, the ones he wants to see. He doesn't pander to viewers, but invites them to join the fun."
—
San Francisco Examiner
Posted Mar 8, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
96%
|
The Kid with a Bike (2012) |
"
Downbeat but powerful drama about childhood and love."
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Feb 6, 2013
|
|
4/4
|
93%
|
Zero Dark Thirty (2013) |
"
Bigelow has created the best film of 2012."
—
San Francisco Examiner
Posted Feb 1, 2013
|
|
3.5/4
|
92%
|
Farewell, My Queen (2012) |
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
2/4
|
36%
|
The Collection (2012) |
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
3/4
|
96%
|
Chasing Ice (2012) |
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
3/4
|
92%
|
Silver Linings Playbook (2012) |
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
57%
|
Safe (2012) |
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
0.5/4
|
5%
|
The Cold Light of Day (2012) |
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
2/4
|
17%
|
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012) |
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
1.5/4
|
14%
|
Soldiers of Fortune (2012) |
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
10%
|
Dr. Seuss - The Cat in the Hat (2003) |
—
San Francisco Examiner
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
1/4
|
6%
|
Nitro Circus: The Movie 3D (2012) |
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
2.5/4
|
52%
|
This is 40 (2012) |
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
3.5/4
|
65%
|
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) |
"
Happily, despite all the technical details, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" is exciting, tantalizing and satisfying."
—
San Francisco Examiner
Posted Dec 14, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
38%
|
Hyde Park on Hudson (2012) |
"
The mix works, thanks to Murray. In a presidential mode, he creates tension and then effortlessly diffuses it. He's also a great comedian, working the room and turning everyone around to his side. He's got my vote."
—
San Francisco Examiner
Posted Dec 14, 2012
|
|
1/5
|
13%
|
Red Dawn (2012) |
"
If the North Koreans invaded and saw this movie, they'd probably just turn back."
—
Las Vegas Weekly
Posted Nov 23, 2012
|
|
3.5/4
|
89%
|
Lincoln (2012) |
"
Steven Spielberg, one of America's best directors, makes the movie come alive; watching it is like eavesdropping on history."
—
San Francisco Examiner
Posted Nov 15, 2012
|
|
2/5
|
6%
|
Silent Hill: Revelation (2012) |
"
Unfortunately, the writing is so weak and comes up so short that all the striking imagery amounts to practically nothing. "
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Oct 27, 2012
|
|
2/5
|
67%
|
Cloud Atlas (2012) |
"
If the six stories were disentangled and laid out separately, it would be clear that none of them has much depth or surprise. "
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Oct 27, 2012
|
|
4/5
|
82%
|
Seven Psychopaths (2012) |
"
[McDonagh] continues to mix crime and dark comedy, but this time he adds a layer of self-awareness, deconstructing both the writing process and the need for conflict (and/or violence) in writing."
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Oct 19, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
63%
|
Sinister (2012) |
"
Writer/director Scott Derrickson has a touch for using old horror movie tools to create new scares, and he also incorporates several interesting themes into Sinister. "
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Oct 19, 2012
|
|
|
96%
|
Argo (2012) |
"
Argo smacks of being another dreary Oscar contender but in actuality it's destined to be one of the fall's most purely enjoyable films."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Oct 19, 2012
|
|
|
——
|
Overland Stage Raiders (1938) |
"
This is a movie only for John Wayne completists and Louise Brooks completists, and if you're both at the same time, it's a great day for you. "
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Oct 10, 2012
|
|
|
100%
|
Frankenstein (1931) |
"
The film has a touching, almost childlike humanity that allowed audiences to actually identify with the monster. "
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Oct 10, 2012
|
|
|
70%
|
The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (2012) |
"
Despite the movie's excessive length and incomprehensible plot, Tsui is still one of the world's absolute best at action and fight sequences; they move fast, but they're dazzlingly fluid and smooth. "
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Oct 10, 2012
|
|
2/5
|
44%
|
The Paperboy (2012) |
"
Daniels' uneven, lopsided narrative goes too far in spots and not nearly far enough in others."
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Oct 5, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
54%
|
V/H/S (2012) |
"
The quality is consistent... and all six segments come up with some genuinely spooky ideas."
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Oct 5, 2012
|
|
3.5/4
|
87%
|
Frankenweenie (2012) |
"
Having gone back to his original notes and sketches, [Burton] seems to have rediscovered his passion for filmmaking."
—
San Francisco Examiner
Posted Oct 5, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
21%
|
Taken 2 (2012) |
"
A good, solid, "B" level entertainment."
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Oct 5, 2012
|
|
2/5
|
32%
|
Won't Back Down (2012) |
"
A lifeless film... The story is designed and decorated rather than told. "
—
Las Vegas Weekly
Posted Oct 4, 2012
|
|
|
100%
|
This Is Cinerama (1952) |
"
After about 15 minutes, the curtains part, and the full, color, Cinerama picture appears; it's literally a roller coaster about to start its ascent. And darned if it isn't kind of thrilling."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Oct 4, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
60%
|
Stars In Shorts (2012) |
"
Overall, this is a decent little collection, and worth seeing for those seeking something different."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Oct 4, 2012
|
|
2/4
|
32%
|
Won't Back Down (2012) |
"
A lifeless film... the story is designed and decorated rather than told."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Oct 4, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
65%
|
Solomon Kane (2012) |
"
Director Michael J. Bassett seems to know how to correctly handle the material, giving it a lightness of touch but also enough bloody and shocking spectacle to stir up viewers."
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Oct 4, 2012
|
|
2.5/4
|
85%
|
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) |
"
Has some nice touches and makes nice use of the passing seasons, but can't ever manage to tap into the universal center of the story."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Oct 4, 2012
|
|
4/5
|
93%
|
Looper (2012) |
"
It's complex enough that sci-fi fans can dig deeper over multiple viewings, but thrilling enough that casual viewers can take it all in with one watch."
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Oct 4, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
78%
|
Dredd (2012) |
"
Overall, Dredd 3D isn't as rich or as deep as The Dark Knight Rises or The Avengers, but it's good, solid comic book fun."
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Oct 4, 2012
|
|
|
——
|
Trasgredire (Cheeky) (Transgressions) (2000) |
"
But Mayarchuk's joyous performance makes up for Brass's leering and makes Cheeky! one of the better softcore films I've seen."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Oct 4, 2012
|
|
|
96%
|
Umberto D. (1952) |
"
Umberto D. could have been one of the most depressing movies ever made, but instead it's one of the most heartfelt."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Sep 26, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
85%
|
Sleepwalk With Me (2012) |
"
It's not until the movie's second half that it really picks up momentum and builds drama. But by the time Sleepwalk with Me crosses the finish line, it's difficult not to genuinely like everyone involved."
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Sep 26, 2012
|
|
2/5
|
30%
|
Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) |
"
While the last movie felt clean and more character-focused, this one seems a good deal lazier, both in the writing and directing departments. "
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Sep 26, 2012
|
|
|
82%
|
Mogambo (1953) |
"
Mogambo is a silly, laid-back Hollywood romance with an exotic setting, but it's nonetheless quite affecting and satisfying."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Sep 26, 2012
|
|
2/5
|
10%
|
Branded (2012) |
"
Satire usually implies at least a little bit of humor, and Branded is mostly humorless -- if it was ever actually trying to be funny, then it fails. If a satire should be pointed, then this movie is more on the dull side."
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Sep 26, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
87%
|
Arbitrage (2012) |
"
Writer/director Nicholas Jarecki makes his feature debut with this refreshing movie, a combination of intelligent, grown-up writing and entertaining, audience-pleasing filmmaking. "
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Sep 26, 2012
|
|
|
63%
|
The Woman in the Fifth (2012) |
"
Though it's disguised as a "thriller," there's a good deal more than thrills to savor and ponder in The Woman in the Fifth."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Sep 26, 2012
|
|
|
59%
|
10 Years (2012) |
"
[Linden] also makes a wise decision by having his cast drinking and/or drunk throughout the entire movie. The audience would do well to do the same."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Sep 26, 2012
|
|
|
73%
|
Hello I Must Be Going (2012) |
"
It has plenty of little moments for a great actress to shine. It's just not very deep, or particularly fresh."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Sep 26, 2012
|
|
|
71%
|
A Double Life (1947) |
"
It was the role of a lifetime, for any actor, but Colman got it, and he nailed it. He won an Oscar and a Golden Globe, and he deserved them."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Sep 26, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
85%
|
End of Watch (2012) |
"
An intense, entertaining drama... The movie's best attribute is the strong chemistry between the two main characters. "
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Sep 21, 2012
|
|
3.5/4
|
86%
|
The Master (2012) |
"
"The Master" is intelligent, ambitious and cause for celebration - but not quite the masterpiece suggested by all the buzz."
—
San Francisco Examiner
Posted Sep 21, 2012
|
|
3.5/4
|
51%
|
Trouble with the Curve (2012) |
"
Nowhere near as rich or as complex as Eastwood's own greatest movies of the past 20 years, but as a pure entertainment, it smacks at least a triple."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Sep 21, 2012
|
|
1/5
|
11%
|
House at the End of the Street (2012) |
"
The movie requires the characters to act stupidly to help move things forward, and if they had seen any other movies, they would know not to do these things."
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Sep 21, 2012
|
|
|
60%
|
Lisa And The Devil (Lisa e il diavolo) (The Devil in the House of Exorcism) (1973) |
"
Contains some of Bava's most lush cinematography."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Sep 19, 2012
|
|
|
54%
|
Secret Beyond the Door... (1949) |
"
Secret Beyond the Door ventures into some astounding arenas (even for Lang, who was an expert in paranoia), both of the mind and otherwise."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Sep 12, 2012
|
|
|
100%
|
Pursued (1947) |
"
Outstanding "noir" western with odd psychological overtones. "
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Sep 12, 2012
|
|
|
100%
|
A New Leaf (1971) |
"
May's brand of humor is beyond deadpan, and you may find yourself laughing long after the fact, even if you're not laughing in the moment. "
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Sep 12, 2012
|
|
2/5
|
54%
|
The Inbetweeners (2012) |
"
The characters are mostly stupid and rather thinly drawn."
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Sep 12, 2012
|
|
|
26%
|
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) |
"
Young Ms. Harris is probably the movie's most powerful element. "
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Sep 12, 2012
|
|
3.5/4
|
——
|
Falling Uphill () |
"
It's an accomplished, satisfying low-budget movie, and one that brings us all a little closer as human beings."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Sep 12, 2012
|
|
3.5/4
|
75%
|
Chicken with Plums (2012) |
"
Chicken with Plums is as charmingly romantic as Persepolis was fiercely political; it's as magical and as deeply felt as anything else I've seen this year."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Sep 12, 2012
|
|
1/5
|
5%
|
The Cold Light of Day (2012) |
"
The Cold Light of Day is a colossal mess -- and amazingly dumb. "
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Sep 8, 2012
|
|
2/5
|
16%
|
The Moth Diaries (2012) |
"
Ostensibly made as an angst-filled teen horror movie in the vein of Twilight, it doesn't really have an idea of its own identity. "
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Sep 4, 2012
|
|
|
——
|
Madness (Vacanze per un massacro) (2009) |
"
Ridiculous plot and character behavior."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Sep 4, 2012
|
|
|
98%
|
The Loved Ones (2012) |
"
The Loved Ones constantly moves in unexpected directions."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Sep 4, 2012
|
|
|
78%
|
Lonesome (1928) |
"
In the end, I'd call Lonesome a truncated masterpiece, with footage rudely added rather than stripped away. "
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Sep 4, 2012
|
|
2.5/4
|
67%
|
Lawless (2012) |
"
It's like bad moonshine. It has some appeal and gets the job done, but it could have been better."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Sep 4, 2012
|
|
2/5
|
56%
|
For a Good Time, Call... (2012) |
"
Director Jamie Travis is content to keep FOR A GOOD TIME, CALL... at a sitcom level, set in a squeaky-clean, good-natured New York. "
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Sep 4, 2012
|
|
|
95%
|
Don't Look Now (1973) |
"
Roeg's purposely disjointed vision keeps you in near-constant dread."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Sep 4, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
39%
|
The Possession (2012) |
"
THE POSSESSION is surprisingly above average for the genre -- and certainly much better than entries like The Devil Inside and The Rite. "
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Sep 4, 2012
|
|
|
95%
|
Weekend (2011) |
"
Probably one of the greatest films ever made on the subject of gay love, not because it deals with issues of homosexuality, but because it simply tells a tender, honest, emotionally potent love story."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Aug 29, 2012
|
|
|
16%
|
Thinner (1996) |
"
Thinner continues in a kind of cartoony vein, almost making fun of itself as it goes along, but not exactly getting any laughs. "
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Aug 29, 2012
|
|
|
——
|
Private Hell 36 (Baby Face Killers) (1954) |
"
Private Hell 36 is a little noir with big riches, and worthy of re-discovery."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Aug 29, 2012
|
|
|
60%
|
My Son John (1952) |
"
The movie is swathed in very thoughtful shades of gray almost throughout. "
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Aug 29, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
48%
|
Hit & Run (2012) |
"
A very good, tightly-structured, breezily fun crime film in the Tarantino mode."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Aug 29, 2012
|
|
2/5
|
4%
|
The Apparition (2012) |
"
What actually happens in the movie seems to be left over from some kind of rigorous cutting session. It's less of an arc than a flatline. "
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Aug 24, 2012
|
|
|
76%
|
Premium Rush (2012) |
"
Koepp the director considers speed and economy, choosing the shortest and cleverest routes to take his story to the finish line."
—
Las Vegas Weekly
Posted Aug 24, 2012
|
|
4/4
|
64%
|
Cosmopolis (2012) |
"
"Cosmopolis" is a deeply subversive, deeply intelligent movie for grown-ups. Brilliant."
—
San Francisco Examiner
Posted Aug 24, 2012
|
|
|
80%
|
The Whisperer In Darkness () |
"
The pacing is unbearably slow, and scenes languish for long minutes in dialogue and suspense-free padding. Whale would never have been so wasteful."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Aug 22, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
65%
|
2 Days in New York (2012) |
"
With her new film, Delpy continues her theme -- children exhibiting different personalities around their parents -- but with a much better groundwork. "
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Aug 22, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
31%
|
Total Recall (2012) |
"
Len Wiseman's remake improves on it [the original] many ways, though in other ways, it's slightly inferior. If only we could have combined the best parts of both!"
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Aug 22, 2012
|
|
2/4
|
21%
|
360 (2012) |
"
Despite a few good moments, it's depressing, obnoxious, and condescending. To use a favorite critics' word, it's "leaden"... it just refuses to move."
—
Combustible Celluloid
Posted Aug 22, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
65%
|
The Expendables 2 (2012) |
"
Magically fixes most of the problems of the first movie. The Expendables 2 is a great deal of fun."
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Aug 22, 2012
|
|
1/5
|
14%
|
Soldiers of Fortune (2012) |
"
Soldiers of Fortune has a good cast, and most of them try their best, but you have to wonder why any of them actually signed on for this lopsided movie. "
—
Common Sense Media
Posted Aug 22, 2012
|
74%
21%
63%
85%
46%
40%
