R. L. Shaffer Movie Reviews & Previews

Critics » R. L. Shaffer

R. L. Shaffer

Agrees with the Tomatometer 73% of the time.

Biography:: R.L. Shaffer is a critic at IGN.Com, DVDFuture.com, and a freelance writer. He's professionally studied film, film criticism, screenwriting and production for over 12 years. He's been a published film critic for 10 years.
Publications:: DVDFuture.com , IGN DVD

Total Reviews:: 791

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Showing 51 - 100 of 791

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Rating	T-Meter	Title \| Year	Add Date
9/10	82%	Goon (2012)	" Goon is a remarkably sweet, shockingly violent and incredibly enjoyable movie that ranks up there as one of the best hockey films ever made." — IGN DVD Posted Jun 6, 2012
8/10	53%	Safe House (2012)	" Safe House is fairly predictable at times, but it also boasts brutally intense, edge-of-your seat action and great star performances from Reynolds and Washington." — IGN DVD Posted Jun 5, 2012
6/10	32%	Man on a Ledge (2012)	" Certainly enjoyable and occasionally tense despite some wobbly performances and plot holes." — IGN DVD Posted Jun 4, 2012
8/10	94%	Coriolanus (2011)	" Coriolanus plays a bit flat at times, but it's a challenging, and even exciting, piece of cinema that's sure to inspire much love from Shakespeare enthusiasts." — IGN DVD Posted May 29, 2012
5/10	42%	Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012)	" Visually rich with lavish sets and fun movie monsters, but Journey 2 is about as underdeveloped and hollow as assembly-line filmmaking can get." — IGN DVD Posted May 25, 2012
8/10	68%	Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)	" An odd, but rewarding sequel that ups the ante on comedy and effects, and manages to offer a refreshing spoof of the first film." — IGN DVD Posted May 22, 2012
9/10	83%	Gremlins (1984)	" Gremlins hosts the perfect blend of Capraesque Christmas spirit, humorously tainted by stinging horror and hilarious offbeat comedy." — IGN DVD Posted May 22, 2012
5/10	37%	Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie (2012)	" Not nearly as endearing, nor as funny, as Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job, Billion Dollar Movie is likely to become a cult hit, but nothing more." — IGN DVD Posted May 18, 2012
2/10	6%	The Devil Inside (2012)	" A terribly written, dubious slice of unscary found footage spiritual horror that ends with an ellipsis, not a period." — IGN DVD Posted May 17, 2012
5/10	80%	Haywire (2012)	" Haywire is a tired spy thriller that meshes the three styles of Steven Soderbergh - pop, clinical and indie - into one messy, sometimes dull B-movie." — IGN DVD Posted May 17, 2012
9/10	79%	The Grey (2012)	" The Grey is a powerful drama, a chilling tale of horror, and an uplifting, emotionally raw look at the nature of man and spiritually." — IGN DVD Posted May 16, 2012
3/10	43%	Mother's Day (2012)	" A sloppy, ugly, illogical story mixed with graphic torture, attempted rape and grisly violence. Mother's Day is a film only a mother could love." — IGN DVD Posted May 3, 2012
4/10	8%	11-11-11 (2011)	" 11-11-11 has a few scary moments here and there, but it's mostly a flat, lifeless spiritual horror spin on The Number 23." — IGN DVD Posted Apr 26, 2012
9/10	79%	The Innkeepers (2012)	" The Innkeepers is an eerie, haunting and sometimes funny ghostly chiller that's bound to win over those with a taste for classic nail-biting horror." — IGN DVD Posted Apr 26, 2012
8/10	——	Roadracers (Rebel Highway) (1994)	" A slick, fast-paced greaser picture that shows off the incredible talent of director Robert Rodriguez." — IGN DVD Posted Apr 18, 2012
6/10	51%	Contraband (2012)	" Wahlberg delivers in this sometimes tense, enjoyable, but morally muddy heist thriller." — IGN DVD Posted Apr 17, 2012
9/10	96%	The Muppets (2011)	" An energetic return to form reminding audiences, both young and old, why everyone should love The Muppets." — IGN DVD Posted Apr 4, 2012
9/10	93%	Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol (2011)	" A knockout, tense action picture that proves there's plenty more life left in the Mission: Impossible franchise." — IGN DVD Posted Apr 1, 2012
7/10	86%	The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)	" A very moody, well made retelling of Stieg Larsson's book, but the film also lacks much purpose and sometimes focuses on the grim with an exploitative eye." — IGN DVD Posted Apr 1, 2012
6/10	71%	The Ring (2002)	" A well-made remake that adds quite a bit to the original story. Alas, The Ring also feels dated and dull." — IGN DVD Posted Apr 1, 2012
2/10	11%	Creature (2011)	" An awfully made, awfully acted, awfully plotted, and awfully boring more. In a word, Creature is awful." — IGN DVD Posted Apr 1, 2012
3/10	26%	Hop (2011)	" Hop starts out cute, but slowly dissolves into a mundane, droll experience completely derivative of Alvin and the Chipmunks and numerous Christmas movies." — IGN DVD Posted Mar 23, 2012
7/10	83%	Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)	" Outstanding performances and fascinating visual design are somewhat marred by a slow pace and a dry narrative." — IGN DVD Posted Mar 22, 2012
7/10	22%	The Sitter (2011)	" A crass, but sweet nod to Uncle Buck, flavored with funny characters, a few sparks of drama, and a few too many cliches." — IGN DVD Posted Mar 22, 2012
8/10	86%	Battle Royale 3D (2000)	" Battle Royale is a masterpiece of mayhem, violence and unfettered teen melodrama. " — IGN DVD Posted Mar 19, 2012
7/10	59%	Wizards (1977)	" Story and characters leave much to be desired, but there's something wonderful about this refreshingly gritty, innovative animated feature." — IGN DVD Posted Mar 19, 2012
8/10	45%	Happy Feet Two (2011)	" The film might be too chaotic for some audiences, but for those willing to sit back and enjoy the rapid-fire ride, Happy Feet Two will bring a smile to your face." — IGN DVD Posted Mar 15, 2012
7/10	75%	The Adventures of Tintin (2011)	" A very entertaining, energetic film, highlighted by gravity-defying action set pieces. However, Tintin is also a bit emotionless, lacking character development." — IGN DVD Posted Mar 11, 2012
7/10	35%	Immortals (2011)	" Weakly plotted and emotionally flat, but visually alluring, memorable and sometimes very entertaining." — IGN DVD Posted Mar 5, 2012
7/10	——	Justice League: Doom (2012)	" An immensely enjoyable thrill ride, but also an occasionally frustrating and short adaptation." — IGN DVD Posted Mar 1, 2012
9/10	94%	Hugo (2011)	" One of the year's very best, Hugo is a rousing, moving, poignant tale being told on many more levels than what is seen on screen." — IGN DVD Posted Feb 27, 2012
8/10	84%	Puss in Boots (2011)	" Puss in Boots delivers just the right mixture of fun, exciting and super cute. " — IGN DVD Posted Feb 24, 2012
6/10	44%	J. Edgar (2011)	" DiCaprio keeps the film afloat, but J. Edgar lacks any real controversy and never fully reaches deep within the man's dark psyche." — IGN DVD Posted Feb 23, 2012
6/10	69%	Tower Heist (2011)	" Tower Heist succeeds because of Eddie Murphy's snarky performance, and fun turns from the rest of the cast. But the heist itself is a little dumb and the story is riddled with plot holes." — IGN DVD Posted Feb 22, 2012
2/10	29%	The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence) (2011)	" Mocks torture porn while being the worst form of it all at the same time, The Human Centipede II personifies what not to do with a sequel." — IGN DVD Posted Feb 17, 2012
6/10	36%	In Time (2011)	" Starts out great, almost like a pseudo sequel to Niccol's other sci-fi drama Gattaca, but slowly unravels into a mindless chase picture that never really captures any real depth or meaning." — IGN DVD Posted Feb 12, 2012
5/10	6%	Dream House (2011)	" Dream House is not the film it was advertised as, but beyond the wonky finale, reshoots, and strange editing there is an interesting tale to be told here." — IGN DVD Posted Feb 12, 2012
5/10	69%	A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (2011)	" Funny in spots, but the story and characters have almost nowhere to go. The direction feels aimless and crafted like a DTV film. In other words, this is an enormously disappointing threequel." — IGN DVD Posted Feb 12, 2012
8/10	89%	Lady and the Tramp (1955)	" A somewhat dry, but very good Disney animated effort punctuated by a few Disney-defining classic moments." — IGN DVD Posted Feb 12, 2012
10/10	93%	Drive (2011)	" A classic tale of revenge, love and madness is given a refreshing polish and shine by director Nicolas Winding Refn. Drive is one of the year's very best." — IGN DVD Posted Feb 1, 2012
6/10	36%	The Thing (2011)	" There's nothing really new about this remake/prequel, but the film's attention to continuity and detail is respectable and interesting for fans of John Carpenter's 1982 classic." — IGN DVD Posted Feb 1, 2012
7/10	60%	Hostel: Part III (2011)	" Not quite as disturbing as the first two films, or as metaphorically fascinating, but full of clever twists and turns. Hostel Part III is a better-than-average low-budget thriller." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
7/10	86%	The Wild Hunt (2010)	" Rough around the edges, but The Wild Hunt is thoroughly entertaining, engaging and even a bit tense." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
6/10	34%	Burke and Hare (2011)	" A misfire to be sure, Burke & Hare's comedic timing feels one step off, resulting in a film with solid performances and an amusing story, but not many laughs and not much replay value." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
9/10	71%	The People vs. George Lucas (2011)	" An outstanding look at the enormously dysfunctional relationship between a creator and his adoring fans." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
9/10	——	Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future - V. 5 - A Fire in the Dark (1988)	" While the show is dated in many respects, the plot, characters and narrative twists are still a delight. And the series' ambitious action, production design and effects are noteworthy achievements." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
6/10	67%	Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (Nightmare) (1973)	" Certainly inspirational and occasionally haunting, with great effects, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark is also a bit overlong and padded." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
6/10	86%	Quarantine 2: Terminal (2011)	" The film is pretty thin, but the scares are effective and creepy." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
6/10	50%	Damnation Alley (1977)	" Slow moving, with cheesy visual effects and some nasty B-movie trappings. But the story and setting are both dreary and fascinating. And performances are top notch." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
7/10	69%	[Rec] 2 (2010)	" Not as fresh or frightfully exciting as the first film, but certainly scary, occasionally inventive and almost always enjoyable." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
5/10	——	Cyrus: Mind Of A Serial Killer (2010)	" Predictable and a bit sloppy on many levels, but occasionally effective, scary and somewhat intriguing." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
2/10	——	Cross (2011)	" Poorly made on nearly every conceivable level, Cross is a genre-meshed mess." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
6/10	——	Seconds Apart (2011)	" Offbeat, dark and quirky, with plenty of atmosphere. But the film strays into dull territory all too often." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
5/10	——	Fertile Ground (2011)	" Scary at times, but uninspired and often illogical." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
6/10	36%	Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)	" Remarkable action set pieces and stunning effects, but this third outing of Transformers is sometimes just as clunky and irritating as the second." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
7/10	68%	Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)	" Delves far more into the mythology of the series, which may render the picture less scary to some, but there's still enough thrills and chills to keep most audiences thoroughly freaked." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
7/10	60%	Real Steel (2011)	" By no means is Real Steel an original film, at least in terms of its base story, but that doesn't mean it's not an effective, tear-jerking kids movie." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
8/10	92%	Traffic (2000)	" A fascinating look at how we're winning and losing the "war" on drugs." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
8/10	——	Redline (2011)	" Redline doesn't boast much of a high-art story or clever dialogue, but the animation, stylistics and tone are art and visual stimuli at their very best." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
5/10	16%	Shark Night 3D (2011)	" Awful on nearly every level, but wholly entertaining as a laugh-out-loud party movie. Shark Night is dumb, but you probably won't care." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
3/10	4%	Abduction (2011)	" Even subtracting Taylor Lautner's mechanical performance, Abduction is an illogical train wreck riddled with messy direction, bad editing, tired action and plot holes galore." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
2/10	——	The Scorpion King 3: Battle For Redemption (2012)	" A complete waste of time and talent, The Scorpion King 3 is a cheap, poorly made cash-grab with little action, little story and nothing interesting to offer." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
4/10	25%	Killer Elite (2011)	" Stale and bland, Killer Elite is an emotionless, assembly-line actioner with little to keep even the hardest of hardcore fans interested." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
8/10	85%	Contagion (2011)	" A bit emotionless and clinical, but Contagion is a pretty spot-on blow-by-blow of what it would be like if a real viral epidemic were to break out." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
6/10	58%	Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark (2011)	" Don't Be Afraid of the Dark might not play as well for adults, but younger audiences (namely preteens) will likely enjoy the hell out of this one." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
3/10	25%	Apollo 18 (2011)	" Apollo 18 is a mercilessly dull movie that just doesn't make much sense. It's light on thrills, and the found-footage gimmick works against the tension." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
6/10	61%	Final Destination 5 (2011)	" The deaths are just as gruesome and fun as ever, but the script's utter lack of originality drags things down quite a bit." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
5/10	26%	Colombiana (2011)	" The action set pieces are elaborately staged and sometimes exciting, but the dull script, overcooked direction and wonky editing damage this otherwise enjoyable B-movie." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
9/10	83%	Warrior (2011)	" Warrior is an unbelievably effective film, not just because it's emotionally rich, but because it doesn't treat the MMA sport like a joke." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
6/10	41%	Straw Dogs (2011)	" There's nothing profound or mysterious about Straw Dogs. The performances are solid, but the movie is mostly forgettable." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
9/10	81%	Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)	" The best animated film of the year, Kung Fu Panda 2 plays as a solid kids' film, a great kung fu actioner, and an emotionally centered drama." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
7/10	72%	Fright Night (2011)	" Fright Night has some rough patches, but the film is entertaining through-and-through, largely thanks to Colin Farrell's predatory performance." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
8/10	61%	The Rocketeer (1991)	" A charming adventure tale, in the spirit of 1930's serials, The Rocketeer is a fun ride." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
7/10	34%	The Hangover Part II (2011)	" Visually dazzling, well shot and perhaps richer in character than the first film -- but also nowhere near as clever, refreshing or funny." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
4/10	44%	Cowboys & Aliens (2011)	" A mercilessly boring, wasted opportunity that forgets to have a sense of humor, charisma, or aliens." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
6/10	64%	Another Earth (2011)	" The science of this science fiction tale is about as wobbly as the rest of the picture. It's the dramatic punches and solid performances from the leads that keep this one afloat." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
3/10	23%	The Smurfs (2011)	" The kids might enjoy it, but The Smurfs is nothing but an annoying, noisy commercial for Sony products. Save for Hank Azaria's amusing take on Gargamel, the film is fatty junk food." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
8/10	45%	30 Minutes or Less (2011)	" 30 Minutes or Less lacks logic, and it doesn't make use of its title concept in any interesting way, but the film is funny, fast and entertaining through-and-through." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
6/10	38%	Cars 2 (2011)	" Cars 2 is a very messy concoction, but it does prove entertaining every once in a while." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
4/10	25%	The Change-Up (2011)	" A foul misfire that favors sex and gross-out gags over its somewhat affecting plot about married life and single life, and the sacrifices we all make for one or the other." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
8/10	96%	Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (2011)	" A wonderfully rich adaptation of the final book's last act, but the central focus on the three leads might leave some fans disappointed, especially those seeking a more thorough adaptation." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
3/10	11%	Atlas Shrugged: Part I (2011)	" Atlas Shrugged is a passionless experience that feels like a TV movie/miniseries. It's flat, poorly plotted, thinly performed and dull to its core" — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
10/10	98%	Evil Dead 2 (1987)	" A masterpiece of B-movie horror-comedy mayhem fueled by Sam Raimi's fast-paced slapstick sensibilities and brought to life by Bruce Campbell's incredible performance." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
10/10	90%	The Lion King (2011)	" A classic story told through immersive visuals, great voice work and some of the most memorable songs in movie history. The Lion King defines animated classic." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
4/10	58%	Scream 4 (2011)	" If you only watch Scream 4 once, it might prove satisfying. But the film fails to hold any value beyond its first screening, largely thanks to a sloppy script that feels like a rough draft." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
9/10	86%	Jackie Brown (1997)	" A much moodier, slower pace from Tarantino's other work, but Jackie Brown is one enjoyable flick that rewards its audience with each viewing." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
3/10	20%	Howling: Reborn (2011)	" Like the other sequels, The Howling Reborn takes a great concept and completely flushes it down the toilet in order to exploit modern horror/werewolf trends." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
7/10	70%	Horrible Bosses (2011)	" Flawed, and not nearly as dark as it could be, but Horrible Bosses excels if only because of the fun performances and great chemistry of the cast." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
9/10	84%	The Tree of Life (2011)	" A visually dazzling, intentionally polarizing examination of life and death, and the beauty and darkness hidden between." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
5/10	26%	Green Lantern (2011)	" There's a bit more character in the extended cut, but the film is still a mess of tones, driven by a Star Wars-like narrative but cut down by a sloppy Transformers feel." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
4/10	86%	Batman: Year One (2011)	" A stale adaptation of the classic Frank Miller comic. The film drowns in bad voice work and lacks the visual nuances found in the original story." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
4/10	58%	Red State (2011)	" A flat, talky, derivative "horror" film that's not very controversial despite how much it thinks it is." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
6/10	33%	Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)	" Captain Jack Sparrow is running on fumes in this enjoyable, but middling, forgettable sequel." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
6/10	44%	Bad Teacher (2011)	" Bad Teacher doesn't quite get an F. But an acceptable C+ is pretty fair." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
9/10	82%	The Crow (1994)	" The Crow is a visually immersive, emotionally wrought comic adaptation and one of the best gothic tales ever made." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
9/10	89%	Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)	" A polarizing, but classic piece of children's entertainment filled with whimsy, horror, comedy and imagination." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
10/10	92%	Jurassic Park: An IMAX 3D Experience (2013)	" Jurassic Park remains an incredible experience - one that never ceases to be entertaining. It's not an entirely faithful adaptation of Michael Crichton's popular novel, but the creative liberties it takes prove enormously ingenious. " — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
8/10	90%	Attack the Block (2011)	" There's a lot more going on than meets the eye in this slick, exciting, UK monster movie." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012
8/10	79%	Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)	" A slam-bang good time, Captain America: The First Avenger is one of Marvel's better efforts." — IGN DVD Posted Jan 29, 2012

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