|
4/5
|
51%
|
Promised Land (2013) |
"
Hydraulic fracturing might not be the most compelling subject for a movie, but it provides a topical backdrop for this engaging drama about ethics. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Apr 19, 2013
|
|
3.5/5
|
62%
|
Evil Dead (2013) |
"
Remaking an iconic classic is dangerous business, even if the original filmmakers are on board as producers, but at least Uruguayan writer-director Alvarez has a few clever ideas up his sleeve. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Apr 19, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
94%
|
First Position (2012) |
"
Like the engaging hit documentary Spellbound, this dance competition film gets under the skin and holds us in its grip like a well-crafted thriller."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Apr 12, 2013
|
|
3.5/5
|
75%
|
Simon Killer (2013) |
"
For a horror film, this is unusually subtle and disturbing, rather than all-out scary, quietly profiling a creepy central character in ways that are designed to provoke the audience. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Apr 12, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
42%
|
Flying Blind () |
"
A riveting performance by Helen McCrory holds our attention even if this dramatic thriller suffers from efficient but bland direction and a script that fails to dig very far beneath the surface."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Apr 12, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
92%
|
The Gatekeepers (2013) |
"
The former heads of Israel's military anti-terrorism agency Shin Bet break their silence in this unnerving, eye-opening documentary."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Apr 12, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
82%
|
The Place Beyond The Pines (2013) |
"
Mainstream audiences may be disappointed that this isn't a gritty thriller pitting the acting talents of Gosling and Cooper against each other, as it's instead a boldly artful, often moving drama."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Apr 12, 2013
|
|
3.5/5
|
55%
|
Oblivion (2013) |
"
With elements lifted from virtually every sci-fi classic in film history, this post-apocalyptic adventure feels eerily familiar but features just enough plot twists and emotional resonance to make it enjoyable. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Apr 12, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
82%
|
Papadopoulos & Sons () |
"
Some meaty themes and complex performances add badly needed weight to this somewhat simplistic British comedy-drama. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Apr 5, 2013
|
|
2.5/5
|
29%
|
All Things To All Men () |
"
Sadly, there has been such a glut of gun-packed London crime thrillers, that it simply isn't enough to make one that looks good and has a fierce energy: you need a solidly structured plot that goes somewhere unexpected."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Apr 5, 2013
|
|
3.5/5
|
33%
|
Home (Yurt) () |
"
More of a thoughtful meditation than a narrative feature, this meandering Turkish odyssey is packed with profound issues rather than well-defined characters or plot."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Apr 5, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
79%
|
A Late Quartet (2012) |
"
While this film has some bracingly strong observations on the nature of long-term professional and personal relationships, it also feels somewhat theatrical in the way its story develops. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Apr 5, 2013
|
|
3.5/5
|
66%
|
Spring Breakers (2013) |
"
Arthouse filmmaker Harmony Korine (Mister Lonely) comes dangerously close to making a mainstream movie with this blackly comical thriller. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Apr 5, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
73%
|
One Mile Away () |
"
For this documentary about gang rivalry, filmmaker Penny Woolcock returns to the setting of her 2009 rap musical 1 Day and finds a story that's even more powerful than the first time around."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 29, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
88%
|
In the House (2013) |
"
With Ozon's usual sharp writing and direction, this black comedy is a fabulous series of provocations, challenging us to explore how we see, or perhaps imagine, the people in our lives."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 29, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
90%
|
Good Vibrations () |
"
The story of Belfast's "godfather of punk" is told with plenty of groovy style to match the 1970s setting, mixing the music with colourful locations and lively characters. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 29, 2013
|
|
1.5/5
|
28%
|
G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013) |
"
By ignoring everything that made 2009's G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra a hugely entertaining guilty pleasure, the all-new writers and director of this sequel have made one of the most abrasively annoying action movies in recent memory. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 29, 2013
|
|
3.5/5
|
68%
|
Trance (2013) |
"
Danny Boyle is obviously having a ball with this thriller, deploying every cinematic trick he can think of to throw the audience off the track. But sometimes too much of a good thing is annoying. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 29, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
30%
|
Reincarnated (2013) |
"
There's a nagging sense of indulgence that leaves us wondering just how truthful this documentary actually is as it follows Snoop Dogg on a voyage of personal discovery. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 22, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
89%
|
Compliance (2012) |
"
If a movie's success is measured by its ability to get under our skin and provoke a reaction, then this might be the film of the year. Designed to make us furious, this drama pushes us to the brink as we shout at the characters for being so naive. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 22, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
14%
|
Small Apartments (2013) |
"
Relentlessly quirky and strange, this pitch black comedy manages to combine its outrageous silliness with some surprising emotional resonance. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 22, 2013
|
|
2.5/5
|
20%
|
Identity Thief (2013) |
"
There's real potential in this premise for a ripping screwball comedy anchored by two likeable actors, but the filmmakers simply don't trust the material, stirring in constant elements of action mayhem that don't work at all."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 22, 2013
|
|
3.5/5
|
52%
|
Jack the Giant Slayer (2013) |
"
We may sigh heavily at the thought of yet another fairy tale blockbuster, but the filmmakers and cast here demand a bit more attention. And sure enough, it's refreshingly smarter and funnier than we expect. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 22, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
69%
|
The Croods (2013) |
"
Cleverly blending a rebellious teen comedy with an animated prehistoric adventure, this witty film wins us over with sharp characters who are written, voiced and drawn with plenty of personality. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 22, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
90%
|
Beyond The Hills (2013) |
"
With this viscerally involving drama, acclaimed Romanian filmmaker Mungiu (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days) tells another strikingly original story of women caught between old and new world beliefs."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 15, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
89%
|
Shell () |
"
With a remarkably vivid sense of life in rural Scotland, this tightly contained drama is an impressive debut for writer-director Graham."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 15, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
51%
|
Welcome to the Punch (2013) |
"
After the tiny drama Shifty, British filmmaker Creevy turns to both Hong Kong and Hollywood for inspiration, creating an unusually glossy, explosive London cop thriller."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 15, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
61%
|
Maniac (2013) |
"
Aside from being an exercise in point-of-view cinema, it's not clear why French filmmaker Khalfoun (P2) bothered to remake the notorious 1980 slasher horror. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 15, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
44%
|
The Paperboy (2012) |
"
Filmmaker Daniels follows up his acclaimed hit Precious with what might be the trashiest movie in recent memory: a swampy thriller packed with desperate characters hiding grisly secrets. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 15, 2013
|
|
3.5/5
|
37%
|
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013) |
"
While not the laugh riot it could have been, this comedy consistently amuses us with its pastiche characters and silly gags. It threatens to get bogged down in sentiment at a few points along the way, but manages to veer back."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 15, 2013
|
|
3.5/5
|
38%
|
The Guilt Trip (2012) |
"
Rogen plays the science nerd Andrew, who has just invented an organic cleaning product and is taking a cross-country trip to find a buyer. In a moment of weakness, he invites his meddling mother Joyce (Streisand)."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 8, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
60%
|
Broken (2013) |
"
While this strikingly well-made film is a great calling card for rising-star filmmaker Norris, it's also so relentlessly dark and unsettling that it's difficult to see the point of it all. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 8, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
85%
|
Side Effects (2013) |
"
Thrillers don't get much more enjoyable than this one, which shifts cleverly from an issue-based drama to an intriguing mystery and finally into riotously camp mayhem. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 8, 2013
|
|
3.5/5
|
40%
|
Parker (2013) |
"
Far better made than it has any right to be, this cheesy 70s-style thriller is given a thoroughly engaging kick by veteran filmmaker Hackford working outside his usual dramatic genre."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 8, 2013
|
|
3.5/5
|
87%
|
Robot & Frank (2012) |
"
A warm drama that drifts into light, goofy comedy, this film is too slight to be a classic, but its subtly sharp-edged script holds our interest and gives the cast something to work with. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 8, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
59%
|
Oz the Great and Powerful (2013) |
"
Like Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, this film shows the overpowering strength of Disney and producer Joe Roth, as they once again bury a gifted filmmaker and cast in an effects extravaganza that's strong on visuals but short on story"
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 8, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
93%
|
Sleep Tight (2012) |
"
Even though the central character is somewhat undefined, this film is a thorough creep-out, playing on our vulnerabilities while making the villain the most sympathetic person on-screen. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 1, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
30%
|
Broken City (2013) |
"
While this thriller plays with themes of political ethics and ambition, it merely lets them simmer in the background. Director Hughes is clearly much more interested in macho posturing and the convoluted scandal-based plot."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 1, 2013
|
|
2/5
|
13%
|
Safe Haven (2013) |
"
Nicholas Sparks strikes again with yet another film based on a misty-eyed novel about tormented seaside romance in the romanticised American South. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 1, 2013
|
|
3.5/5
|
87%
|
Arbitrage (2012) |
"
Richard Gere delivers such a charming, layered performance that he overcomes a contrived plot that piles too many financial and personal crises on the central character. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 1, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
14%
|
Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013) |
"
Made in Germany, this raucous adventure merrily refuses to follow the usual Hollywood route of blanding-down a fairy tale for the lowest common denominator (see both Snow White movies last year)."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 1, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
67%
|
Stoker (2013) |
"
You could argue that this film is all lurid style over substance, but there's actually a lot going on behind the stunningly gorgeous imagery. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Mar 1, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
71%
|
Crawl (2013) |
"
Packed with references to classic horror thrillers, this Australian film is a gimmicky freak-out that keeps our pulses racing even if it never really gets under the skin."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 22, 2013
|
|
3.5/5
|
93%
|
Lore (2013) |
"
An unusual, constantly surprising post-WWII odyssey, this film may feel a bit thin and episodic, but it tells an evocative story with darkly moving emotion."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 22, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
66%
|
Mama (2013) |
"
Expanded from a sharp 3-minute short, this horror mystery is packed with clever jolts and witty freak-out moments."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 22, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
67%
|
Cloud Atlas (2012) |
"
Mad geniuses Tom Tykwer (Perfume) and the Wachowski siblings (The Matrix) boldly take on David Mitchell's layered epic novel, which connects six generations through the power of storytelling. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 22, 2013
|
|
3.5/5
|
42%
|
To The Wonder (2013) |
"
Frankly, a bad Terrence Malick film is better than 90 percent of movies released in cinemas: but if you thought The Tree of Life was indulgent and overly kaleidoscopic, you should avoid this like the plague. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 22, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
98%
|
Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence In The House Of God (2012) |
"
There's a reason this expertly shot and edited documentary is skimming under the radar: no one wants you to see it. The hugely skilled Gibney is taking on the world's biggest corporation, the Vatican."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 15, 2013
|
|
3.5/5
|
46%
|
Beautiful Creatures (2013) |
"
While this package has all of the key marketing elements to reach the Twilight audience, the film itself is rather a lot more fun, made with some wit and intelligence, plus a cast that's happy to chomp on the scenery."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 15, 2013
|
|
3.5/5
|
52%
|
This is 40 (2012) |
"
This overlong comedy is so episodic that watching it is exactly like sitting through five episodes of a sitcom back-to-back. It's funny and enjoyable, with characters we enjoy watching, but they continually spiral back to where they started"
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 15, 2013
|
|
1.5/5
|
0%
|
Run For Your Wife () |
"
British farces work on stage, but usually feel agonisingly stupid on screen. And this is a worst-case scenario, as playwright Cooney adapts his classic 1983 farce without even the slightest adjustment for the cinema."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 15, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
66%
|
For Ellen (2012) |
"
One of those mopey independent dramas that drifts through a mere hint of a plot, this film is worth a look for its unusual setting and a superb central performance from Paul Dano (last seen in Looper). "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 15, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
15%
|
A Good Day To Die Hard (2013) |
"
There really is no point in looking for logic in a fifth Die Hard movie; these films have become a parody of themselves, wallowing in their inane action set pieces and sassy one-liners without much concern for plot or coherence."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 15, 2013
|
|
5/5
|
94%
|
I Wish (2012) |
"
Even without much of a plot, this meandering Japanese film holds our attention with a clear-eyed attention to character detail and situations that spark our imaginations. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 8, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
63%
|
I Give It a Year (2013) |
"
Not so much a rom-com as an anti-romance comedy, this brightly amusing British film makes us laugh fairly consistently, although the story itself is pretty grim. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 8, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
92%
|
No (2013) |
"
For his third Pinochet-era movie, Chilean filmmaker Larrain has come up with his most breathtakingly original approach yet, telling a story anyone, anywhere can identify with while at the same time never pulling his political punches."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 8, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
47%
|
A Liar's Autobiography - The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman (2012) |
"
Subtitled "The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman", this outrageously colourful animated movie certainly can't be pigeonholed as a documentary or a biopic, even though there are elements of each."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 8, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
63%
|
Hitchcock (2012) |
"
What could have been an intriguing look at how Alfred Hitchcock created one of his most iconic masterpieces is instead turned into a gently entertaining romp. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 8, 2013
|
|
3.5/5
|
86%
|
Wreck-it Ralph (2012) |
"
Visually ambitious and packed with inside jokes for arcade gamers, this colourful animated adventure is an enjoyable romp but is probably too energetic for its own good. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 8, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
13%
|
Do Elephants Pray? () |
"
Films about spiritual journeys should be celebrated, as they force us to explore deeper truths about our lives, but this one veers unevenly from comedy to drama to romance as it heads for a less-than-revelatory conclusion. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 1, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
73%
|
Chained (2012) |
"
Filmmaker Lynch (daughter of David) knows how to push our buttons, using misogynist violence to keep us uncomfortable right through this contained, stylish thriller."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 1, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
87%
|
Bullhead (2012) |
"
Dark and involving, this shocking Belgian drama not only earned an Oscar nomination but propelled its director and leading man into much bigger movies. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 1, 2013
|
|
3.5/5
|
65%
|
Antiviral (2013) |
"
It may be style over substance, but Brandon Cronenberg cleverly blends his father David's love of medical yuckiness with an elusive Lynchian-style mystery to keep us unnerved all the way through this low-key thriller."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 1, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
38%
|
Hyde Park on Hudson (2012) |
"
The breezy, entertaining tone of this historical comedy-drama kind of undermines the fact that it centres on one of the most pivotal moments in US-British history. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 1, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
78%
|
Flight (2012) |
"
With another deeply committed performance, Washington brings badly needed complexity to what is otherwise a contrived, overstated drama about addiction."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Feb 1, 2013
|
|
3.5/5
|
86%
|
Ballroom Dancer () |
"
Danish filmmakers Bonke and Koefoed keep their cameras so intimate that this movie feels more like an intensely emotional drama than a documentary."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Jan 25, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
75%
|
Dwae-ji-ui wang (The King of Pigs) () |
"
Taking a realistically adult approach to bullying, this animated teen thriller from Korea is packed with provocative and sometimes moving observations even when it turns overly melodramatic at the end. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Jan 25, 2013
|
|
2.5/5
|
59%
|
The Last Stand (2013) |
"
Korean filmmaker Kim played with the Western genre before in his wacky 2008 pastiche The Good the Bad the Weird, and this film is just as chaotically uneven, mixing cartoon-style silliness with grisly violence."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Jan 25, 2013
|
|
2/5
|
4%
|
Movie 43 (2013) |
"
A collection of random shorts that focus mainly on idiotic male behaviour, this portmanteau comedy is only occasionally amusing, never making anything of its astonishing cast. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Jan 25, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
93%
|
Zero Dark Thirty (2013) |
"
Blistering writing, directing and acting hold us firmly in our seats as this procedural drama snakes its way to a riveting action finale"
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Jan 25, 2013
|
|
4/5
|
89%
|
Lincoln (2012) |
"
A historic epic from Steven Spielberg carries a lot of baggage, but he surprises us with a remarkably contained approach to an iconic figure. What's most unexpected is that this is a political drama, not a biopic."
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Jan 25, 2013
|
|
—
|
100%
|
Call Me Kuchu (2013) |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
——
|
The Comedian () |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
——
|
Elliot Loves () |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
——
|
Unhappy Birthday (2010) |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
——
|
Ritual (2004) |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
27%
|
Life Just Is () |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
70%
|
Celeste and Jesse Forever (2012) |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
70%
|
Late September () |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
30%
|
Broken City (2013) |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
65%
|
Private Peaceful () |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
——
|
Revealing Mr. Maugham () |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
79%
|
A Late Quartet (2012) |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
63%
|
In The Dark Half () |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
——
|
Stud Life () |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
79%
|
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012) |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
——
|
Walk A Mile In My Pradas () |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
92%
|
Silver Linings Playbook (2012) |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
——
|
Razzle Dazzle: A Journey Into Dance (2007) |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
78%
|
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012) |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
52%
|
Grassroots (2012) |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
——
|
Kelly + Victor () |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
65%
|
2 Days in New York (2012) |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
21%
|
Hollow () |
"
Although the plot gets a bit draggy, it holds our interest due to the interaction between the characters."
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
70%
|
American Mary (2013) |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
51%
|
Trouble with the Curve (2012) |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
58%
|
I, Anna () |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
—
|
52%
|
This is 40 (2012) |
—
Shadows on the Wall
Posted Jan 22, 2013
|
|
3/5
|
54%
|
V/H/S (2012) |
"
A mixed bag of found-footage horror shorts, this anthology gives rising star filmmakers a chance to do something original with the genre. Of course, some of the clips are much more effective than others, and some are little more than gimmicky jokes. "
—
Contactmusic.com
Posted Jan 18, 2013
|
73%
21%
63%
85%
46%
40%
