|
20%
|
Private Resort (1985)
|
"The movie claims it is a comedy, though a laugh or even a chuckle is a rarity."
|
|
|
100%
|
Behind the Candelabra ()
|
"Michael Douglas plays Liberace to perfection, wrestling away from early suspicions that his performance is a fur coat and no knickers caricature, to add layers to the flamboyant icon beyond the skin-deep persona and the rampant sexuality."
|
Simon Gallagher
|
|
94%
|
Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)
|
"The film is thoughtful and evocative, just as the directorial duo's other period offerings, and to call it a low key affair, packed with charm is not to do the film any disservice."
|
Simon Gallagher
|
|
100%
|
Ain't Them Bodies Saints (2013)
|
"There is almost certainly a major nod here to Badlands, as well as Thieves Like Us, and more generally speaking, Lowery seems intent on re-exploring the essence of that particular period of outlaw movies."
|
Simon Gallagher
|
|
50%
|
Wara no tate (Shield of Straw) ()
|
"Rather than the insanity we're used to, played against a backdrop of Miike, winking at the camera, the director has gone, dare I say it, serious."
|
Simon Gallagher
|
|
——
|
For Those In Peril ()
|
"This is not a mere character study, as the mysticism, and the magical touches - particularly in the final scene - make the now numerous references to the excellent Beasts Of The Southern Wild extremely pertinent."
|
Simon Gallagher
|
|
——
|
Stop The Pounding Heart ()
|
"It's not quite The Hills, as there's very much the sense that these characters, or versions of them, do actually exist, and Minervi is clearly fascinated in their realities, but there simply isn't enough here to really engage."
|
Simon Gallagher
|
|
60%
|
Jimmy P. ()
|
"At its heart a tale of redemption, played through a culture-clash dynamic as the French analyst and his patient build a relationship, and it's hard to resist the similarities with The King's Speech."
|
Simon Gallagher
|
|
100%
|
Le passé (The Past) (2013)
|
"Wonderfully shot, though without obvious or intrusive artifice, and it relies on both strong characters and a twisting, entertaining plot to keep the interest mostly pricked."
|
Simon Gallagher
|
|
86%
|
Young & Beautiful (Jeune Et Jolie) (2013)
|
"Winner of this year's Drive Award for having the most blatantly narrative songs shoe-horned in to reinforce a key message."
|
Simon Gallagher
|
|
89%
|
Fruitvale Station (2013)
|
"Michael Jordan's Grant is remarkably sympathetic, and his story develops in a way that adds an awful note to the opening scene, as the arc creeps slowly and painfully towards the final, fatal moment."
|
Simon Gallagher
|
|
56%
|
The Bling Ring (2013)
|
"Coppola's latest never seems to know what it wants to be - it works best when it is a blackly comical parody but it too often pulls its punches and is never quite brave enough to be bold."
|
Simon Gallagher
|
|
49%
|
The Great Gatsby (2013)
|
" It's glitzy and glamorous yes, and Luhrmann fans will be delighted with its staging, including the occasionally over-zealous music, but there are a few more misfires in here than they might be used to."
|
Simon Gallagher
|
|
78%
|
Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
|
"This just might be the only instance in cinema franchise history where the heavy implication of a sixth sequel actually seems appealing."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
86%
|
Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
|
"A perfectly functional sequel that nevertheless falls rather short of 2009′s water-tight reboot."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
27%
|
21 And Over (2013)
|
"Boozed-up students might enjoy it, but it's just going to make anyone over the age of 21 feel really old."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
67%
|
A.C.O.D. ()
|
"Disappointingly opts for broad humour over genuine drama in its second half, but anyone who has been through a similar situation will find it undeniably resonant."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
85%
|
Sleepwalk With Me (2012)
|
"A riotous breakthrough for Mike Birbiglia, whose humanist comedy says a lot about modern relationships that many of us won't be prepared to admit."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
40%
|
Emanuel and the Truth about Fishes ()
|
"The irony is that in playing its silly premise dead straight, the film becomes a goldmine of unintentional hilarity."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
62%
|
I'm So Excited! (2013)
|
"It ultimately amounts to little more than a 90-minute-long gay joke that loses its charm after just a few."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
71%
|
The Look of Love ()
|
"Steve Coogan delivers a knock-out performance that renders the central figure in all of his complexity - at once admirable, deplorable and pitiable."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
71%
|
In a World... (2013)
|
"Serves as an uproarious coming out party for writer-director-lead Lake Bell, and you'll never watch a movie trailer the same way again."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
——
|
History Of The Eagles: Part 1 ()
|
"An efficient talking heads doc that celebrates the band without deigning to hagiography."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
100%
|
Metro Manila ()
|
"This immaculately composed heist flick-cum-morality play just might bring Hollywood knocking on Sean Ellis' door."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
33%
|
Running From Crazy ()
|
"Though undeniably well-intentioned, Barbara Kopple's documentary doesn't seem particularly concerned with asking - or trying to answer - the big questions surrounding familial suicide trends."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
——
|
Blood Brother ()
|
"Uncompromising and enormously life-affirming, this is sure to be one of the year's must-see documentaries. "
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
——
|
Muscle Shoals ()
|
"A sumptuously assembled, exhaustively comprehensive film about music that changed lives."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
78%
|
Iron Man 3 (2013)
|
"Go for the thrilling action and hilarious Shane Black one-liners. As for a compelling story and entertaining villains? Not so much."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
38%
|
Touchy Feely (2013)
|
"Save for a star turn from veteran character actor Josh Pais, Lynn Shelton's latest is pretty much dead on arrival."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
——
|
God Loves Uganda ()
|
"The most infuriating and sinister documentary in recent memory. "
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
100%
|
The Kings of Summer (2013)
|
"This tonally buoyant coming-of-age film works as both an off-kilter comedy and a potent drama."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
67%
|
The Moo Man ()
|
"Though not without its stirring moments, this documentary takes far too long to make what is admittedly a pretty important point about British agricultrure."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
88%
|
Upstream Color (2013)
|
"Shane Carruth continues to grow as a filmmaker even as he remains keen to puzzle and perhaps frustrate. Upstream Color is, above all else, an unforgettable experience."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
56%
|
Oblivion (2013)
|
"Oblivion is one of the best-looking bad films ever made."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
82%
|
The Place Beyond The Pines (2013)
|
"Go in knowing as little as possible and prepare to be blown away by Derek Cianfrance's American crime drama masterpiece."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
34%
|
Dark Skies (2013)
|
"By parading out every tired trope from the sci-fi and horror genres, Dark Skies is unintentional self-parody, and quite dreadful indeed."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
28%
|
G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013)
|
"Benefiting hugely from rock-bottom expectations, G.I. Joe: Retaliation sets a low bar that it clears effortlessly thanks to Johnson's charismatic performance and a humourous script that demonstrates surprising political awareness."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
68%
|
Trance (2013)
|
"How much you'll bite down on Boyle's shtick will probably depend on your own suggestibility."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
75%
|
Simon Killer (2013)
|
"A sexy, seductive portrayal of one young man's downward spiral into existential Hell on the chilly Parisian streets."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
13%
|
Stolen (2012)
|
"Though this isn't quite rock-bottom for Nicolas Cage, that's hardly saying much these days."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
69%
|
The Croods (2013)
|
"DreamWorks' latest is a lusciously mounted but simple-minded adventure that won't long linger in your memory."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
13%
|
Red Dawn (2012)
|
"Hollywood's cynicism knows no bounds. They're now remaking bad movies too."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
51%
|
Welcome to the Punch (2013)
|
"London's never looked so good, yet outside of the crackling action scenes, there's very little on offer."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
62%
|
Evil Dead (2013)
|
"The whole endeavour invites a sure feeling of pointlessness, but it's as beautifully shot and gore-soaked as these retreads come."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
37%
|
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013)
|
"This amiable oddball comedy should push things further, but it nevertheless earns a steady stream of laughs."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
——
|
Verity's Summer ()
|
"Difficult to criticise aesthetically or on the basis of its performances, Verity's Summer is nevertheless a promising but perplexing debut feature let down by a low narrative pulse that makes it difficult to care."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
40%
|
Parker (2013)
|
"A moderately entertaining, no-frills crime caper shot through with enthusiasm by its talented cast."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
——
|
The Package (2013)
|
"Austin and Lundgren fare surprisingly well in the talkier scenes, though the lack of action will test even the most enthusiastic audiences."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
43%
|
Breath Of The Gods ()
|
"An undeniably relaxing sit, though one which also proves meandering on one too many occasions."
|
Shaun Munro
|
|
71%
|
Crawl (2013)
|
"Though minimalist to a fault, there's plenty of tension to keep this grisly Aussie thriller bounding along."
|
Shaun Munro
|
78%
47%
100%
85%
45%
40%
