|
5/5
|
83%
|
Warrior (2011) |
"
The final third of the film, which covers the Sparta tournament in great detail, is a breathless triumph; a genuinely adrenaline pumping crescendo."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Sep 5, 2011
|
|
5/5
|
84%
|
The Tree of Life (2011) |
"
Ambitious and spectacular."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Jun 25, 2011
|
|
5/5
|
86%
|
Inception (2010) |
"
It is hugely impressive that, given what was at stake, Nolan has managed to not only pull this out of the bag, but to absolutely nail it. The film is as all-encompassing as the concept of its title: grand, epic, smart and unforgettable."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Jul 10, 2010
|
|
4/5
|
78%
|
Iron Man 3 (2013) |
"
The best entry in the franchise so far."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Apr 30, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
93%
|
Zero Dark Thirty (2013) |
"
Bigelow tells the story very well, very efficiently, but doesn't really say much about it, which is ironic given the response to the film in some quarters."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Mar 17, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
67%
|
Stoker (2013) |
"
A compelling, darkly humorous watch."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Mar 17, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
82%
|
De rouille et d'os (Rust and Bone) (2012) |
"
This is a very different film to Audiard's most recent release - the impressive A Prophet - but it has a similar sense of maturity about it, and could well have acting awards aplenty heading its way in the coming months."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Jan 20, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
82%
|
Seven Psychopaths (2012) |
"
The sense that the different elements don't really add up to much may well leave some feeling cold; for others, the sharp dialogue and comic beats will produce a similar fondness for the characters that In Bruges' best scenes did."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Jan 20, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
81%
|
Pitch Perfect (2012) |
"
Is Pitch Perfect this year's Bridesmaids? If by that we mean a thoroughly likable and surprisingly funny comedy, then yes, I suppose it is."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Jan 20, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
64%
|
The Five-Year Engagement (2012) |
"
You could make a case for shearing a little baggage from the run time, but it's hard to complain too much because the laughs keep coming."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Aug 12, 2012
|
|
4/5
|
100%
|
Nostalgia for the Light (2011) |
"
The vast expanse of the world's driest place - captured here in all its arid intensity - makes for a fascinating and eerie backdrop."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Aug 12, 2012
|
|
4/5
|
69%
|
Ted (2012) |
"
If you're fundamentally put off by MacFarlane's brand of comedy, Ted's cruder elements may well prove too irksome, but this film does have a sweetness at its heart that is pleasantly unexpected, even if it does follow an extremely predictable plot."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Aug 12, 2012
|
|
4/5
|
94%
|
Moonrise Kingdom (2012) |
"
If the deadpan sensibility of the film ultimately leaves it feeling a tad lightweight, that isn't to say that Moonrise Kingdom isn't a funny, witty and well-crafted film."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted May 26, 2012
|
|
4/5
|
86%
|
The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012) |
"
The majority of the film can't quite live up to this barnstorming first half hour, but it remains a delight throughout, even when the gags become a little more hit and miss."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Apr 30, 2012
|
|
4/5
|
85%
|
The Hunger Games (2012) |
"
Comparisons have been made to Battle Royale - and they're not entirely undeserved - but this is a different film, and never feels like a watered down version of anything else."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Mar 26, 2012
|
|
4/5
|
92%
|
The Cabin in the Woods (2012) |
"
Intelligent, witty and cine-literate in a charmingly self-referential way, The Cabin in the Woods sets out to do something different and does it with bravado."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Mar 10, 2012
|
|
4/5
|
80%
|
Shame (2011) |
"
Closing with a cleverly inverted sense of ambiguity, Shame is an effective film both performance-wise and from a technical standpoint."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Dec 20, 2011
|
|
4/5
|
93%
|
Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol (2011) |
"
The film never forgets the truism that this genre can do wonders in papering over its cracks simply by letting you have a good time."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Dec 12, 2011
|
|
4/5
|
79%
|
The Deep Blue Sea (2012) |
"
A stylish, self-contained, evocative drama with strong lead performances that overcomes the odd dip here and there to provide a distinct and satisfying experience."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Nov 22, 2011
|
|
4/5
|
86%
|
The Snowtown Murders (2012) |
"
Its grimly realistic style may be off-putting to some viewers, but this is a convincing and effective portrayal of a serial killer."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Nov 14, 2011
|
|
4/5
|
83%
|
Tyrannosaur (2011) |
"
At times it feels a little over-familiar, but this is a confident first feature."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Oct 5, 2011
|
|
4/5
|
83%
|
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) |
"
Many thought the 1979 BBC production of the novel precluded the need for a feature film, but Le Carré himself has commended the efforts of all involved in this adaptation, and he was right to do so."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Oct 5, 2011
|
|
4/5
|
95%
|
The Guard (2011) |
"
The ambiguous ending raises a smile rather than a frown, and leaves one hoping that the McDonagh brothers will continue to find charismatic and interesting roles for Brendan Gleeson in films to come."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Sep 2, 2011
|
|
4/5
|
84%
|
The Princess Of Montpensier (2011) |
"
It's played pretty straight (though Tavernier allows us a couple of wry laughs) and crucially it maintains the weight of a real drama, as opposed to feeling like a teen romance in a castle (which is essentially what it turns into)."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Jun 25, 2011
|
|
4/5
|
88%
|
X-Men: First Class (2011) |
"
The film in general handles its narratives well, but it does feel like the screenplay wants very much to get everything in place for a sequel by the time the credits roll."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted May 31, 2011
|
|
4/5
|
90%
|
Bridesmaids (2011) |
"
There are few greater compliments one can offer a film than to say they feel shorter than they really are, and Bridesmaids' two hours positively flew by."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted May 11, 2011
|
|
4/5
|
91%
|
Source Code (2011) |
"
Duncan Jones has done nothing to suggest that his successful debut was a one-off. This is more mainstream, granted, but it still has ideas and isn't afraid to explore them."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Mar 23, 2011
|
|
4/5
|
64%
|
Biutiful (2010) |
"
It's bleak, certainly, but not despairing, although it is indicative of the film's tone that one final, redemptive act is rendered ambiguously through dirty glass."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Jan 31, 2011
|
|
4/5
|
90%
|
Tangled (2010) |
"
Tangled serves as a welcome reminder that before Pixar there was another animation house that led the pack; here's hoping that this is the start of a new generation of Disney excellence."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Jan 11, 2011
|
|
4/5
|
86%
|
Rabbit Hole (2010) |
"
One slow-motion flashback sequence is perhaps a little distracting, but this is a strong effort with good lead performances and a satisfying conclusion."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Jan 11, 2011
|
|
4/5
|
64%
|
Dog Pound () |
"
Building to a bravado climax that suddenly becomes almost apocalyptic in its aesthetic, the film succeeds wholeheartedly in breaking through its inspirations to stand on its own as a great prison movie."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Aug 19, 2010
|
|
4/5
|
81%
|
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) |
"
It's difficult to feel attached to it on anything other than an aesthetic level, but it is satisfactorily geeky, funny enough to recommend, and in the end not quite like anything else you'll see in the cinema this year."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Aug 13, 2010
|
|
4/5
|
49%
|
The Losers (2010) |
"
If the cast are to be thanked for raising this film above standard fare, then so too should the writers, who've produced a script that is much much funnier than most people will expect."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Apr 21, 2010
|
|
4/5
|
91%
|
Crazy Heart (2009) |
"
It isn't perfect and it isn't wholly original in terms of narrative, but the film has a warm heart and a depth of performance that makes it deserving of recommendation."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Apr 15, 2010
|
|
3/5
|
65%
|
Mama (2013) |
"
In the end the clichés and overly repetitive plot structure can't derail what is a well-played, well-shot horror flick."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Mar 17, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
30%
|
Broken City (2013) |
"
It has ideas and, in places, verve, but it can't help but feel like a pretty standard thriller with some big names rather erroneously attached"
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Mar 17, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
51%
|
Trouble with the Curve (2012) |
"
This feels like a fairly disposable entry in Eastwood's filmography, and represents a confident if uninspiring start to Lorenz's directorial career."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Jan 20, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
32%
|
Gangster Squad (2013) |
"
Its misjudged villain and generic action film structure put it some way below the staples of the LA thriller sub-genre."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Jan 20, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
51%
|
Savages (2012) |
"
Stone has put together a technically sound and sporadically thrilling thriller, but it drops the ball at the end, and tries to squeeze a bit too much into its runtime."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Sep 30, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
41%
|
Rock of Ages (2012) |
"
It's overlong, overblown and couldn't establish a convincing plot if its life depended on it, but it sings at the top of its lungs, and if you haven't gone deaf by the mid-point, you might just find yourself humming along."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Aug 12, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
73%
|
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) |
"
It's unfortunate that the set pieces feel a little derivative of Raimi's films, but that was always likely to be the case given the close proximity of this new film to its predecessors."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Aug 12, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
38%
|
Dark Shadows (2012) |
"
Burton is supremely comfortable doing this sort of thing, but after Alice in Wonderland and this, one can't help but wish that he'd step outside his comfort zone just a little on the next project."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted May 11, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
50%
|
Mirror Mirror (2012) |
"
This film was a relief to watch after Singh's bungled action spectacle last year, and while it isn't as good as The Fall, it does at least get him back on track."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Apr 30, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
57%
|
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) |
"
It hardly needs to be said that the 3D conversion here is nothing more than proficient, that it adds nothing and actually takes away some of the clarity and vividness of the film's varied colour palette."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Mar 1, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
53%
|
Safe House (2012) |
"
It's derivative of many thrillers we've seen in recent years, but the strength of its cast and the technical quality of the action do a lot to make us forget those similarities."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Mar 1, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
46%
|
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2012) |
"
I knew after I came out of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close that I had been manipulated, but I didn't feel it mattered because the film told a story about a grieving family which had weight."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Mar 1, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
13%
|
Day of the Falcon (2013) |
"
While a plot contrivance late in the day ensures that an opportunity for a climactic battle sequence is not wasted, the film is not really an action epic, but a sweeping story about belief sets in the Arab world."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Mar 1, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
65%
|
The Woman in Black (2012) |
"
There are plenty of effective jump scares, and it's nicely shot, but beneath the surface there isn't a great deal going on."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Feb 2, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
77%
|
War Horse (2011) |
"
If it lags in the middle, it can be forgiven, because it has a warm heart despite its inconsistencies"
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Jan 16, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
76%
|
The Help (2011) |
"
This is a generally family-friendly affair which isn't interested in getting its hands too dirty."
—
Fan The Fire
Posted Nov 11, 2011
|
78%
——
——
85%
45%
40%
