Critics Consensus: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 Is a Decent Send-Off
Plus, Lincoln and Silver Linings Playbook Are Certified Fresh
This week at the movies, we've got a vampire showdown (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2, starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson) and an embattled president (Steven Spielberg's Lincoln starring Daniel Day-Lewis). What do the critics have to say?
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2
48%
There's no middle ground on the Twilight series: either you're enraptured by the tale of Bella Swan and her supernatural paramours, or you're mystified by its appeal. For what it's worth, critics say The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 is easily the best entry in the franchise, with a rousing climax that goes a long way toward redeeming a sluggish first half. Bella (Kristen Stewart) is adjusting to her new life as both a mother and a vampire. But when malevolent Volturi go after their child, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen round up a crew of sympathetic vampires and werewolves to stand with their family. The pundits say Breaking Dawn Part 2 is still melodramatic and poorly paced, but the performances are strong and the finale should satisfy Twihards. (Check out this week's Total Recall, in which we count down Stewart's best-reviewed movies, as well as our interviews with the stars of Breaking Dawn Part 2 and our Twilight watching series.)
Lincoln
89%
Abraham Lincoln's greatness as a president is never questioned these days, though his iconic image (the beard, the top hat, the gaunt frame) is so ubiquitous as a patriotic symbol that it can sometimes obscure his words and deeds. Critics say Steven Spielberg's Lincoln is a terrific corrective, thanks in large part to Daniel Day-Lewis' towering performance as the Great Emancipator. Lincoln follows the 16th president's political maneuverings during the dark days of the Civil War as he attempts to preserve the Union and abolish slavery. The critics say the Certified Fresh Lincoln is a marvelously acted, deftly observed drama that manages to make the inner workings of legislature endlessly fascinating.
Also opening this week in limited release:
- Funeral Kings, a comedy about a trio of troublemaking altar boys, is at 100 percent.
- Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God, a documentary about sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, is at 94 percent.
- Silver Linings Playbook, starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence a romantic comedy about a down-on-his-luck guy who gets an unexpected boost from a mysterious young woman, is Certified Fresh at 87 percent.
- The Law In These Parts, a documentary about Israel's legal code as it pertains to the occupied territories, is at 71 percent.
- Barrymore, starring Christopher Plummer as the legendary actor reflecting on his life and career, is at 67 percent.
- Anna Karenina, starring Keira Knightley and Jude Law in an adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's classic novel, is at 67 percent.
- Price Check, starring Parker Posey in a comedy about the high-strung supervisor of a struggling supermarket, is at 64 percent.
- Hitler's Children, a doc about the descendants of notorious Nazis, is at 60 percent.
- Buffalo Girls, a doc about a pair of eight-year-old girls who compete in Thailand's underground boxing circuit, is at 50 percent
Shane Mims
Well, let's see. Should I see a film that is directed by one of the best directors of all time, about arguably our nation's finest president, staring Day-Lewis, who gave one of the best performances of all-time in one of my favorite films, Gangs of NY, or should I see the end of the melodramatic series of all-time?
Maybe, next time, Mr. Spielberg. LOL. Seriously, can't wait for Lincoln. Twilight can suck it.
Nov 15 - 04:43 PM
Chris Cox
Spielberg is overrated.
Nov 15 - 05:23 PM
Janson Jinnistan
Your mom was undernourished.
Nov 15 - 05:39 PM
Chum Chum
Swing and a miss
Nov 17 - 09:33 AM
Janson Jinnistan
Good thing your critique is so hilarious then
Nov 17 - 03:12 PM
Jason Huang
i actually agree with chris. spielberg is associated with way too many people. yes he has made minority report and jurassic park and schindler's list, but he has also produced all three transformers movie and other stuff. chris nolan and david fincher are probably my favorite directors right now
Nov 15 - 07:33 PM
Shane Mims
Okay, all Steven did was executive produce them. Basically, he just gave the producers the money to make the movie. However, any director who has made Jaws, Close Encounters, Indiana Jones, E.T., The Color Purple, Empire of the Sun, Jurassic Park, Amistad, Saving Private Ryan, A.I., Minority Report, Catch Me If You Can, Munich,The Adventures of Tintin, and of course, Schindler's List is NOT overrated. Granted, I like Fincher, and I love Nolan, but Spielberg is one of the all-time greats and,IMO, one of the five best directors in the world, along with Nolan, Scorsese, Cameron, and Burton.
Nov 15 - 07:49 PM
Logan Locke
Shane pretty much nailed it there.
Nov 15 - 08:52 PM
Gary Shannon
Shane is right, Spielberg isn't overrated at all. He's made some groundbreaking films.
Nov 16 - 01:25 AM
Andrew Griffin
"Burton"?!
Nov 16 - 04:48 AM
Carrie Hart
and the greatest, most perfect american movie of all time -JAWS.
Nov 16 - 05:14 AM
Fred Brooks
I think Shane got you and chris with the obvious strong list of 'Spielberg' directed films, that's just too strong a case for either one of you to argue with. Plus the guy forgot to mention "Duel" & "American Grafitti" which we're outstanding films as well.
Nov 16 - 02:09 PM
Janson Jinnistan
"American Graffiti" was George Lucas. But, yeah, I don't trust anyone talking about Spielberg who doesn't mention "Jaws" or "Raiders".
Nov 16 - 02:31 PM
Jason Huang
ok so i get your point. yes steven spielberg has made a lot of good movies. minority report, jurassic park, and schindler's list are really good movies, but i think that christopher nolan has done some amazing movies. nolan has done inception, dark knight trilogy, and memento. i think that nolan has something that spielberg lacks, which is a lot of imagination.
Nov 16 - 05:48 PM
Val Mordas
Spielberg is one of the best directors of all time, only a moron would call him overrated. That or you simply did not watch his films, some of which (like Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's) are masterpieces. Nolan's made some good films but nothing near as profound as those two.
Nov 16 - 06:55 PM
Janson Jinnistan
JH - If you think Spielberg's best films lack imagination, then I doubt you really did get the point.
Nov 16 - 11:59 PM
George Patchell
I agree with both you and Shane, I think Speilberg has made some of the best films ever, but he is also overrated. Don't get me wrong he has made some masterpieces and almost all of his films are great - even the lesser ones like Tintin are good. But I think most people when they see Speilberg's name think it has to be a masterpiece and refuse to criticise him even when he makes average or lacking films. I haven't seen Lincoln as I don't there's much chance of it seeing a release in Australia before the new year, but I was super excited for it until I saw the first trailer and it looked awful. I really hope I'm wrong and I really hope it is great, but from the trailer alone I feared this was another case of saying Speilberg can do no wrong. And rather than all the people calling others dumbasses for not liking a filmmaker, maybe you can realise that not everyone agrees with you, and that constructive criticism is a good thing for filmmakers, rather than just saying everything is great when it has a certain name alongside it. That is lazy, criticising isn't.
Nov 17 - 03:52 AM
Mark Marquis
Spielberg is one of the most commercially and critically successful directors of our age (maybe ever). Calling him overrated is lazy, unimaginative trolling.
Nov 16 - 07:23 AM
MicHaeL Hendriks
He's overrated at TIMES... But he's definitely one of the greatest filmmakers.
Nov 20 - 06:21 PM
Daniel Irwin
From Jaws and Jurassic Park, to Schidler's List and Saving Private Ryan, Spielberg is a man of many wonders. On par with Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese and James Cameron for my favorite Hollywood directors.
Dec 7 - 06:06 AM
Dave J
How old did you say you were again?
Nov 16 - 01:18 PM
MicHaeL Hendriks
You should watch Twilight, cause it ends it all... :P
Nov 20 - 06:23 PM