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

Best Reviewed Films

Showing 1 - 50 of 358
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Rating T-Meter Title | Year Add Date
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
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
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
10/10 100% Citizen Kane (1941) " One of the best films out there, and certainly a high point in early cinema. The love for Citizen Kane is deserved." — IGN DVD
Posted Jan 29, 2012
10/10 89% Ben-Hur (1959) " A masterpiece of epic filmmaking, a profound religious experience and one of the greatest films ever made." — IGN DVD
Posted Jan 29, 2012
10/10 80% The Big Lebowski (1998) " One of the funniest, coolest, most absurd cult films ever made, and one of the best from the dynamic duo - Joel and Ethan Coen." — IGN DVD
Posted Jan 29, 2012
10/10 83% Beverly Hills Cop (1984) " Simply put, Beverly Hills Cop is one of the best buddy cop movies ever made." — IGN DVD
Posted Jan 29, 2012
10/10 98% Taxi Driver (1976) " A haunting, visceral trip through the mind of a man on the edge of his own sanity." — IGN DVD
Posted May 16, 2011
10/10 98% Raging Bull (1980) " Raging Bull is a fascinating exploration of the mind of an emotionally disconnected man. It's brutal, crass and impossible to look away -- much like a real boxing match." — IGN DVD
Posted Jan 16, 2011
10/10 80% Dances With Wolves (1990) " A masterful, painstakingly crafted adventure about the nature of acceptance, and the tragedy of human nature." — IGN DVD
Posted Jan 16, 2011
A 79% Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 (2010) " It goes without saying, these final two chapters of the "Harry Potter" legacy are more than a little monumental. And director David Yates does not falter in delivering a rousing, epic fantasy/adventure worthy of the term "classic."" — DVDFuture.com
Posted Nov 16, 2010
10/10 98% Aliens (1986) " James Cameron's Aliens is easily one of the best sequels ever made, taking the original story and expanding upon it in ways most sequels are afraid to do. " — IGN DVD
Posted Oct 30, 2010
10/10 97% Alien (1979) " Ridley Scott's Alien is nothing short of a masterpiece. Technically brilliant, tense, horrifying and visually breathtaking, there's not a moment in this B-monster movie that doesn't excel well beyond the usual genre trappings. " — IGN DVD
Posted Oct 30, 2010
10/10 64% Back to the Future Part II (1989) " Sure, [Back to the Future II] has a clunky first act - which takes place in a hilariously overblown futuristic society - but the film knows just how, and when, to entertain us, and it does so in spades. " — IGN DVD
Posted Oct 25, 2010
10/10 97% Back to the Future (1985) " Back to the Future is one of the best popcorn movies ever made. It's ingenuity, time-traveling twist ups and wonderfully vibrant characters resonate in ways few films ever achieve." — IGN DVD
Posted Oct 25, 2010
10/10 97% Psycho (1960) " Masterful suspense and horror from one of the greats." — IGN DVD
Posted Oct 21, 2010
10/10 87% The Exorcist (1973) " An unforgettable horror film that doesn't just get under my skin - it stays there. " — IGN DVD
Posted Oct 15, 2010
10/10 92% Beauty and the Beast (2012) " A classic story of redemption, love, purity and friendship - a film worthy of our love and attention." — IGN DVD
Posted Oct 15, 2010
10/10 33% Starcrash (1979) " The single greatest sci-fi camp fest ever put on celluloid. This film boasts the perfect blend of goofy cheese and unhinged imagination." — IGN DVD
Posted Oct 14, 2010
9.5/10 93% Marvel's The Avengers (2012) " The Star Wars of a new generation." — IGN DVD
Posted Sep 26, 2012
9/10 88% Titanic (2012) " A staggering film, layered with melodramatic romance, tragedy, intensity and breathtaking production design." — IGN DVD
Posted Sep 26, 2012
9/10 92% The Cabin in the Woods (2012) " The Cabin in the Woods is nothing short of brilliant." — IGN DVD
Posted Sep 26, 2012
9/10 64% The Five-Year Engagement (2012) " A bit overlong, with a surprisingly moody middle act, but writer/actor Jason Segel and director/co-writer Nicholas Stoller continue to perfectly balance the laughs with the drama." — IGN DVD
Posted Sep 5, 2012
9/10 38% Detention (2012) " Detention is a hypnotic hipster acid trip - a brazenly irreverent jolt to the system that screams cult gem. " — IGN DVD
Posted Aug 9, 2012
9/10 84% Total Recall (1990) " A wickedly violent, action-packed old school piece of warped, twist-filled sci-fi and Schwarzenegger cheese. You'll wish you had three hands to hold this one." — IGN DVD
Posted Aug 6, 2012
9/10 48% The FP (2012) " The FP is a mostly serious, straight-faced spoof of misogynistic gangland B-movies and sports dramas, and rarely does it fail to deliver sparks of originality and sly comedy." — IGN DVD
Posted Jun 22, 2012
9/10 83% A Necessary Death (2012) " A Necessary Death presents a wholly original, fascinating and curiously terrifying documentary that's likely to either captivate or revolt audiences." — IGN DVD
Posted Jun 12, 2012
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
9/10 96% Dazed and Confused (1993) " The film transcends the common barriers and becomes a living spiritual entity, encompassing the essence and tone of an era." — IGN DVD
Posted Jan 29, 2012
9/10 95% Island of Lost Souls (The Island of Dr. Moreau) (1933) " An eerie, atmospheric pre-code horror tale, adapted from H.G. Wells classic book, The Island of Dr. Moreau." — IGN DVD
Posted Jan 29, 2012
9/10 89% Scarface (2003) " One of the best gangster dramas ever made, driven by Pacino's haunting performance and De Palma's lightning pace." — IGN DVD
Posted Jan 29, 2012
9/10 98% Airplane! (1980) " Charmingly dated, but still immeasurably funny." — IGN DVD
Posted Jan 29, 2012
9/10 94% Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) " A surprisingly powerful, and incredibly funny, little movie led by two terrific performances and John Hughes' razor sharp script." — IGN DVD
Posted Jan 29, 2012
9/10 80% Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982) " Fast Times is a brilliant, funny and often challenging examination of teenage life in the early 1980s." — IGN DVD
Posted Jan 29, 2012
9/10 48% Super (2011) " Super can be very affecting and emotionally disturbing, which might not suit everyone's tastes, but it's also an absorbing, bleak and sometimes funny deviation from the usual superhero fodder." — IGN DVD
Posted Jan 29, 2012
Showing 1 - 50 of 358
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