|
15%
|
A Good Day To Die Hard (2013)
|
"Easily the worst and most ridiculous of the "Die Hard" films, but one that still fills the audience need for gunplay, explosions, a chatty villain, heavy machinery, wisecracks and an indestructible Willis with can-you-believe-this? excess."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
13%
|
Safe Haven (2013)
|
"Routine thriller which begs the audience not to pay close attention, except to the pretty pictures and bland leads."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
20%
|
Identity Thief (2013)
|
"Much as I like Melissa McCarthy, this aimless road movie misfires. And when is Hollywood going to let a plus-sized woman be not only sexual but erotic?"
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
37%
|
Stand Up Guys (2013)
|
"Not a great movie, but it's fun to watch Pacino and Walken make an effort."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
93%
|
Amour (2012)
|
"Sadly effective, with two standout performances."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
30%
|
Broken City (2013)
|
"Tired and predictable."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
32%
|
Gangster Squad (2013)
|
"A second-tier "Untouchables" interested only in making a lot of noise while ignoring character and plot. The newspaper articles that inspired it tell a much better story."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
93%
|
Zero Dark Thirty (2013)
|
"As Bigelow has said, depiction is not endorsement, and "ZDT" shows the cost to the soul of fighting terrorism."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
12%
|
Alex Cross (2012)
|
"Silly plotting, murky action sequences, indifferent acting -- and a lot of violence against women. Not even the locally shot scenes are reason enough to see it."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
51%
|
Trouble with the Curve (2012)
|
"A slight movie, thoroughly predictable, but buoyed by its cast, even if all their moves have been better elsewhere."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
58%
|
Sparkle (2012)
|
"Slicker than the original, it is also less satisfying, erratic in pace and tone."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
56%
|
The Bourne Legacy (2012)
|
"Disappointing recycling of bits from older "Bourne" movies with an unnecessarily complicated, slow-to-get-going and even by Bourne standards unbelievable plot."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
31%
|
Total Recall (2012)
|
"Glum, heavily borrowed from other films, with murkily shot action sequences, it has none of the nutty brio of the original. "
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
78%
|
Take This Waltz (2012)
|
"The raw and realistic look at love and marriage overcomes occasional overly artsy flourishes."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
87%
|
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
|
"While acknowledging its flaws intellectually, I was still emotionally thrilled."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
73%
|
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
|
"While not as refreshing as the first Tobey Maguire film, the new production boasts a fine, anguished performance by Andrew Garfield and should appeal to Spidey neophytes."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
80%
|
Magic Mike (2012)
|
"While the ads are selling it as a romp (and crowds include Girls' Night Out groups), the movie turns in some grim but too obvious directions."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
35%
|
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)
|
"Some good effects, but takes its potentially amusing premise way too seriously."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
78%
|
Brave (2012)
|
"Though not on the level of the best of Pixar, it's still an entertaining movie."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
41%
|
Rock of Ages (2012)
|
"Bland lead actors, blah musical arrangements and an attempt to make '80s LA PG-13 add up to an unconvincing, overlong and often humorless spectacle."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
70%
|
Men in Black III (2012)
|
"Some big laughs and an air of sweet melancholy get you through the slow spots. But enough is enough."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
78%
|
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012)
|
"The superb cast still cannot save a weak story."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
93%
|
Marvel's The Avengers (2012)
|
"A flawed first part is forgivable thanks to the exhilarating action sequences climaxing the movie."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
64%
|
The Five-Year Engagement (2012)
|
"Often funny, good in dramatic moments, but lacking consistently tight control of pace and scenes."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
79%
|
The Deep Blue Sea (2012)
|
"Intense presentation of the limitations of passion and the depth of real love. "
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
90%
|
Footnote (2012)
|
"A funny, sorrowful, sharp-witted look at ambition, ego, and fathers and sons."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
92%
|
The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
|
"Funny, smart and blood-soaked use of an old horror trope. Fans will spend much time freeze-framing the eventual video release to catch all the details."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
87%
|
Bully (2012)
|
"Harrowing portrait of ordinary kids being assaulted verbally and physically, and a social system that does not protect them."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
51%
|
The Three Stooges (2012)
|
"Sure, it's derivative, and sentimental. But it still made me laugh more than once. "
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
85%
|
The Hunger Games (2012)
|
"While it misses the insights from the first-person narrative in the book, the film remains a generally effective adaptation of Collins's novel."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
77%
|
War Horse (2011)
|
"In spite of a few moving scenes, it's labored, too long and too gorgeously shot."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
78%
|
A Dangerous Method (2011)
|
"The repressed passion of the main character is all too representative of this repressed movie."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
89%
|
The Descendants (2011)
|
"Clooney is remarkable in Alexander Payne's film about loss, confusion and getting by."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
80%
|
Haywire (2012)
|
"Fun, low-tech action with a starmaking turn by Gina Carano."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
46%
|
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2012)
|
"Terribly uneven, moving in places but very frustrating in others."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
52%
|
The Iron Lady (2012)
|
"Great Streep, iffy movie."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
51%
|
Contraband (2012)
|
"Entertainingly gritty until an ending that seems to go against all that has preceded it."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
86%
|
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
|
"A visually impressive, well acted adaptation of the book, with significant differences in tone from the Swedish film."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
60%
|
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)
|
"Downey is in good form, Jared Harris an able adversary and the film overall a sequel that improves on the original."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
93%
|
Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol (2011)
|
"In IMAX form, at least, it's thrilling, with a strong cast fighting a silly plot."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
82%
|
The Way (2011)
|
"Earnest and thoughtful, with a fine performance by Martin Sheen at its center."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
85%
|
The Ides of March (2011)
|
"Another excellent turn by Ryan Goslin in George Clooney's savvy, cynical political tale."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
100%
|
Thunder Soul (2011)
|
"A touching tribute to a teacher who managed to inspire his students not only to do good work but to live good lives."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
60%
|
Glee: The 3D Concert Movie (2011)
|
"I thought I was over "Glee" and 3D. I was wrong on both counts."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
76%
|
The Help (2011)
|
"Well-told and touching, with Oscar-worthy performances by Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
96%
|
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (2011)
|
"A satisfying wrap-up of the series, with an especially effective performance by Alan Rickman."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
84%
|
The Tree of Life (2011)
|
"Although it taxes patience in the way Malick films often do, it has excellent acting and passages of brilliance."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
82%
|
Super 8 (2011)
|
"Often exciting and entertaining."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
88%
|
X-Men: First Class (2011)
|
"Good effects and themes overcome a glaring plot hole. "
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
|
67%
|
The Company Men (2011)
|
"Excellent performances and a fine use of detail counterbalance a somewhat weak storyline."
|
Rich Heldenfels
|
47%
45%
95%
99%
65%
61%
