|
89%
|
A Royal Affair (2012)
|
"Those well-versed in such tightly-corseted matters will remain one step ahead of it, but the essentials are convincing and, at times, successfully agonizing. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
56%
|
Hunky Dory (2013)
|
"Dory has a spark that never catches fire, leaving the bulk of its personality up to Driver and her interesting take on the often strange moods of this coming-of-age musical drama. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
46%
|
The Comedy (2012)
|
"It's a long, painful sit that claws at interpretational ambition, but only nails the rare moment of enlightenment, wasting 90 minutes of screentime to acquire about 15 minutes worth of substance. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
0%
|
Love Wedding Marriage (2011)
|
"Effort confirms that Mulroney is the type of guy who would walk into a Baskin-Robbins and order a single scoop of vanilla in a cup, passing on a myriad of flavors and possibilities to keep the experience as familiar as possible. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
——
|
ABBA: The Movie (1977)
|
"Hallstrom creates such a giddy environment of interviews and stage domination, it easy to get sucked into the touring whirlwind and appreciate this special moment in the history of a legendary group."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
50%
|
Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning (2012)
|
"Hyams aims to bring a Heart of Darkness overlay to the proceedings, which is an inspired choice, especially for a movie series that once offered itself as summertime popcorn escapism. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
76%
|
The Bay (2012)
|
"Levinson cuts through the unrelenting nonsense that plagues so many of these efforts, preying on everyday fears to fashion a terror tale that slips right under the skin. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
45%
|
The Details (2012)
|
"There are a few highlights worth a look and an accomplished supporting cast to ease the oddity along, yet The Details doesn't add up to much despite its rather elaborate design of misery. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
51%
|
Pusher (2012)
|
"Prieto treats the experience like a music video, with superfluous visual ornamentation getting in the way of gritty suspense. Pusher is a sound and light show that should have its power strip unplugged. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
13%
|
Stolen (2012)
|
"Stolen is junk but it's intermittently amusing junk, best when locked in demolition derby mode, while Cage attempts to jazz up the acting by swallowing his sighs to the best of his ability."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
5%
|
Nature Calls (2012)
|
"I'd write that it's the worst thing to happen to the Boy Scouts in quite some time, but the organization appears to have bigger fish to fry these days."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
92%
|
Skyfall (2012)
|
"The best of Craig's adventures; a superbly mounted, clear-headed adventure with enough delicious oddity and exhilaration to help forget there ever was a Quantum of Solace."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
79%
|
Miami Connection (2012)
|
"Doesn't strike me as particularly hilarious or outrageously inept, just woefully misguided by individuals out to launch a nuclear bomb of positivity with their furious work, only to discover they barely knew how to turn on the camera."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
——
|
A Christmas Story 2 (2012)
|
"Shamelessly derivative and plasticized, A Christmas Story 2 will only have you wondering why you're not watching the original picture again. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
78%
|
Flight (2012)
|
"A confident supporting cast fills in the gaps with memorably cracked personalities, yet attention is always pulled back to Washington and his full-bodied portrayal of man convinced he has two steady hands secured on all his problems. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
86%
|
Wreck-it Ralph (2012)
|
"Video game enthusiasts are sure to embrace the feature's familiarity with arcade history, while the less enlightened will have to do with a splendidly animated picture populated with likable characters and explosive action set-pieces."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
49%
|
The Man With the Iron Fists (2012)
|
"Whatever it is, The Man with the Iron Fists is more plodding than riotous, in desperate need of an actual filmmaker to clarify its sincere tributes and silly winks."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
94%
|
The Sessions (2012)
|
"Unexpectedly blunt and warmly sympathetic, displaying a refreshing commitment to the tense nuances of a carnal odyssey before its eventual slide into overcooked dramatics. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
47%
|
The Girl ()
|
"Certainly explores an enticing tale of obsession and revenge, but it seldom trusts the inherent horror of it all, preferring to spell out jealousies and malicious behavior to a point where fact unfortunately resembles fiction."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
50%
|
Vamps (2012)
|
"Bold, ambitious, but it's rarely funny. Heckerling works to squeeze out a few laughs along the way, but the punchlines are soggy and the situations a little too cartoonish at times, resembling a sketch comedy show about vampires."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
8%
|
Fire With Fire (2012)
|
"Spends much of its run time in neutral with actors either unprepared for the demands of the subgenre or locked in paycheck mode, stiffly working through tepid dialogue, tedious procedural events, and dull romantic yearnings."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
68%
|
This Must Be The Place (2012)
|
"Place isn't emotionally or dramatically satisfying in the least, but it has a visual fingerprint that's worth a look, boosted by an undeniably memorable performance from Penn."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
70%
|
The Loneliest Planet (2012)
|
"In desperate need of a tighter edit and a pronounced human touch. Its intentional paralysis is unrewarding and, by the second half, completely insufferable."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
——
|
Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3: Viva La Fiesta! (2012)
|
"It's not high art, but the wee ones should get a charge out of Papi and Company's return to the small screen, while parents won't feel battered by relentless stupidity. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
6%
|
Silent Hill: Revelation (2012)
|
"Revelation has no personality to speak of, with a reduced budget and limited directorial vision turning the potential for an atmospheric terror picture into a television melodrama with occasional bursts of macabre happenings. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
67%
|
Cloud Atlas (2012)
|
"It's a brave directorial endeavor from Tykwer and the Wachowskis. That they could piece together a coherent picture is a testament to their skill, while the sheer scale of the effort celebrates their endearingly daredevil appetites."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
26%
|
Fun Size (2012)
|
"Captures the manic spirit of the holiday, tearing around with a modest sense of madness, celebrating costumes and a collision of eccentric personalities."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
93%
|
Sleep Tight (2012)
|
"Lacks transparent thrills, but its dedication to psychological disease and escalating panic results in a tremendously satisfying feature, low-key but splendidly sinister. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
33%
|
Chasing Mavericks (2012)
|
"Chasing Mavericks is a gentle effort with modest thematic goals, and while it's compellingly made, its spirit is diluted by dreadful formula. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
84%
|
Smashed (2012)
|
"Winstead supports Smashed with real skill, finally locating a role that allows for a little elbow room in a feature that cautiously details the lifelong struggle of alcoholism with a distinct indie film tilt."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
53%
|
Simon and the Oaks (2012)
|
"Loses steam the longer it tries to articulate uninteresting asides, with the effort's coming of age inclination best served on an intimate scale of unspoken tragedy. Inflating the troubles only emphasizes storytelling shortcomings."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
92%
|
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
|
"Only a man with a celebrated history of behind-the-scenes altercations with movie stars and a prominent YouTube video of his on-set ravings could possibly mastermind a marvelous feature like Silver Linings Playbook."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
79%
|
A Late Quartet (2012)
|
"A powerful feature, outstandingly acted and pleasingly measured, employing a sense of refinement to better emphasize the numerous violations and disappointments that litter the story. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
69%
|
Not Fade Away (2012)
|
"It's a mute button movie, with the textures of the production worth all the attention Chase pays to them, while the rest of the effort slides around in a fog, waiting for inspiration that never arrives. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
25%
|
Paranormal Activity 4 (2012)
|
"All these tapes and memory cards filled with genuine proof of an evil presence, and the franchise has yet to cough up a single character ready to use the images intelligently. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
37%
|
Nobody Walks (2012)
|
"A few scenes hint at the potential of the piece, while the rest of the effort seems more interested in curling up for a nap. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
79%
|
Quartet (2013)
|
"This is a lovely picture with welcome heart, allowing Hoffman to take to directing without sacrificing his thirst for human study, shaped over the last five decades of his own work."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
12%
|
Alex Cross (2012)
|
"When it's not being completely idiotic, it's frightfully tasteless, with both Perry and Cohen making sure the entertainment factor is thoroughly sucked out of this ludicrous thriller. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
76%
|
It's a Disaster (2013)
|
"There's something about It's a Disaster that's ripe with potential, but a slack atmosphere populated with overeager actors grows tiring, lessening interest in their ultimate fate."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
——
|
Stag ()
|
"I suppose Stag has its heart in the right place, but it lacks zest and direction, playing it safe with a subject that all but demands utter screen chaos."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
5%
|
Atlas Shrugged: Part II (2012)
|
"The portrait of American gloom and doom has its layers of meanings and philosophies, but I'd rather approach Atlas as a clumsy B-movie with occasional entertainment value."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
96%
|
Argo (2012)
|
"A nail-biter of the highest order, Argo is crackerjack mix of world politics, classic screen suspense, and knowing Hollywood ribbing."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
63%
|
Sinister (2012)
|
"Passage to the solid stuff is blocked by brazenly cheap scares, a hazy monster mythos, unreasonably idiotic characters, and excessive length, making Sinister an absolute chore to enjoy in full. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
26%
|
War of the Buttons (2012)
|
"Barratier makes the viewing event obvious in theme and location, yet his classic Hollywood approach results in a satisfyingly glossy, endearingly acted movie. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
39%
|
Here Comes the Boom (2012)
|
"Indeed, James does plenty of fall-down-go-boom, but it's wasted on a tediously conventional movie that does surprisingly little with the spectacularly strange sight of James in stampeding MMA mode."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
41%
|
3, 2, 1... Frankie Go Boom (2012)
|
"It's unbearable to sit through at times, watching decent actors flounder with intentionally ridiculous material, working themselves into a lather to serve writer/director Jordan Roberts's clumsy sense of humor."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
14%
|
Smiley (2012)
|
"One of the most inept movies of 2012. The only thing truly scary about this terror film is that somebody paid to have it produced."
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
44%
|
The Paperboy (2012)
|
"Daniels once again mistakes permissiveness for artistry, creating a picture that looks like it was shot on a reel of dirty underwear, developed in a mixture of spit, semen, and alcohol. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
82%
|
Seven Psychopaths (2012)
|
"Uneven, but defiantly so, creating immense personality along the way, helping to absorb the randomness of the screenplay and his numerous tangents. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
|
21%
|
Taken 2 (2012)
|
"It appears that when Luc Besson wants to kill one of his promising franchises, he calls in Olivier Megaton to do the dirty work. "
|
Brian Orndorf
|
78%
33%
100%
85%
45%
40%
