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2/5
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(undefined)
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John Larsen
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Posted May 02, 2021
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The Number 23
(2007)
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John Larsen
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The Number 23 is just a sordid exercise for a comedy actor to stretch his dramatic muscle.
Posted Apr 22, 2007
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Zodiac
(2007)
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John Larsen
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Methodical to the point of becoming unnerving, Zodiac meshes fact and supposition into a fascinating exploration of obsession.
Posted Apr 22, 2007
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Snow Cake
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Angela Pell's screenplay deals honestly with the characters and situations, and never takes the easy way out.
Posted Apr 22, 2007
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Red Road
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Dickie and Curran are brave actors, willing to explore and expose the complexities of their characters on every level.
Posted Apr 22, 2007
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The Host
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Director/co-writer Bong Joon-ho has a lot of fun with the premise, infusing political commentary into the tale of a family brought together by tragedy.
Posted Apr 22, 2007
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Color Me Kubrick
(2005)
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John Larsen
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Audacious and funny, Color Me Kubrick takes a small slice out of the entertainment pie to deliver a delicious and filling treat.
Posted Apr 22, 2007
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Disturbia
(2007)
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John Larsen
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Disturbia features an extremely likable protagonist in Shia LaBeouf...
Posted Apr 22, 2007
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Grindhouse
(2007)
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John Larsen
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Raging at you harder than a televangelist on an overdose of Viagra, Grindhouse pulverizes the audience with a bombardment of hyper-violence, buxom babes, gnarly zombies, and enough exploitation to fill two movies.
Posted Apr 22, 2007
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Jindabyne
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Linney is fascinating as a woman trapped under the weight of loneliness and desperation, willing to make sacrifices for security.
Posted Apr 22, 2007
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Norbit
(2007)
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John Larsen
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Once we've seen Murphy in the fat suit, the joke is over.
Posted Feb 20, 2007
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Hannibal Rising
(2007)
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John Larsen
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You won't need a GPS to know where this plot is headed.
Posted Feb 20, 2007
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Ghost Rider
(2007)
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John Larsen
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Unless I'm rubbing ice cubes across my nipples, I don't like to use the word cool, but "Ghost Rider" is extremely cool.
Posted Feb 20, 2007
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Alpha Dog
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Timberlake is trying to bring sexy back, and after seeing his performance in "Alpha Dog," I can see why it left.
Posted Jan 29, 2007
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Smokin' Aces
(2007)
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John Larsen
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What sounds like an interesting idea goes up in a blaze of bullets as none of the characters exist beyond the film frame.
Posted Jan 29, 2007
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Factory Girl
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Hickenlooper gives "Factory Girl" a distinct Warhol look. It's cutting edge without being cluttered.
Posted Jan 29, 2007
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Venus
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Venus isn't a great movie, but it features a great performance by O'Toole.
Posted Jan 08, 2007
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Children of Men
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Instead of engrossing me with its powerful message and gripping imagery, it just meandered along like my grandfather's Rascal on a low battery.
Posted Jan 08, 2007
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Saw III
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Like an herbal blend of grand guignol and gothic horror, Saw isn't everyone's cup of tea.
Posted Dec 26, 2006
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Man of the Year
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Reminded me of an octogenarian circus spinner. While grounded, she looks terrific, but the moment she tries to elevate herself, she loses her teeth.
Posted Dec 26, 2006
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The Guardian
(2006)
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John Larsen
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There's enough testosterone on display in "The Guardian" to fuel a woman's golf tournament.
Posted Dec 26, 2006
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Hate Crime
(2005)
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John Larsen
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Writer-director Tommy Stovall creates characters who are real and sympathetic.
Posted Dec 26, 2006
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Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
(2006)
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John Larsen
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What makes all of this so funny is being in on the joke.
Posted Dec 26, 2006
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The Departed
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Monahan's screenplay effectively transplants the story from Hong Kong to the mean streets of Boston.
Posted Dec 26, 2006
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The Last King of Scotland
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Forest Whitaker performs the ultimate magic act: he turns a blood-thirsty butcher into a charismatic, empathetic man.
Posted Dec 26, 2006
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Little Children
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Former actor Phillips hits all the right notes as director, never allowing the characters to turn drama into melodrama.
Posted Dec 26, 2006
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Babel
(2006)
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John Larsen
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...this is one tower of Babel which won't be coming down any time soon.
Posted Dec 26, 2006
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The Queen
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Flawless to the point of perfection, Helen Mirren delivers a seamless performance as Queen Elizabeth II.
Posted Dec 26, 2006
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Notes on a Scandal
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Judi Dench delivers a wickedly scintillating performance in Notes on a Scandal, a deliciously dark morality tale about breaking taboos.
Posted Dec 26, 2006
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You, Me and Dupree
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Anyone with a couch, a spare room or a basement knows a Dupree.
Posted Sep 26, 2006
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Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
(2006)
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John Larsen
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With dashing heroes, swashbuckling damsels, vile villains and enough plot for two films, Dead Man's Chest is worth digging up.
Posted Sep 26, 2006
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Lady in the Water
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Lady in the Water is like a convenience store, with the director filling his basket with easy story fixes and unnecessary junk food.
Posted Sep 26, 2006
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My Super Ex-Girlfriend
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Anyone who ever found a boiled bunny on their stove knows breaking up with a woman who won't be ignored can be extremely dangerous.
Posted Sep 26, 2006
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The Descent
(2005)
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John Larsen
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What distinguishes The Descent from other cave thrillers is the way director Marshall never lets up, constantly pounding at us until our heartbeat becomes so loud we can no longer hear the characters scream.
Posted Sep 26, 2006
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Snakes on a Plane
(2006)
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John Larsen
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While it's hard to recommend a film called Snakes on a Plane to the Jane Austen crowd, I have no reservations telling fans of this genre they will get exactly what they pay for.
Posted Sep 26, 2006
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The Oh in Ohio
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Not since Sex in the City has frank, female driven dialogue been so funny or enlightening.
Posted Sep 26, 2006
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The Wicker Man
(2006)
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John Larsen
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LaBute comes out with both barrels blazing, but his remake misfires.
Posted Sep 26, 2006
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The Illusionist
(2006)
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John Larsen
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The Illusionist slowly works its magic, unveiling little pieces until it's time for the grand reveal.
Posted Sep 26, 2006
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Feast
(2006)
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John Larsen
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The biggest shock is how well Feast works, and it works because of Gulager, who always finds fascinating ways of taking the obvious and making it his own.
Posted Sep 26, 2006
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Aurora Borealis
(2005)
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John Larsen
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Sutherland is outstanding as a fine man devastated by time and disease.
Posted Sep 26, 2006
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The Black Dahlia
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Director Brian De Palma's fascination with crime and sexual obsession is the perfect attitude for "The Black Dahlia."
Posted Sep 26, 2006
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A Prairie Home Companion
(2006)
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John Larsen
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What Altman and Keillor, who plays himself, have done is create a believable piece of radio drama on the big screen...
Posted Jul 08, 2006
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X-Men: The Last Stand
(2006)
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John Larsen
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X-Men: The Last Stand delivers exactly what I expected, nothing more, nothing less. It is what it is, and anyone who enjoyed the first two films will enjoy their Last Stand.
Posted Jul 08, 2006
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The Omen
(2006)
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John Larsen
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By-the-book remake of the 1976 horror thriller features scrumptious production values, a sinister turn by Mia Farrow as Nanny 666, and an overall sense of familiarity.
Posted Jul 08, 2006
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The Lake House
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Anyone concerned over the rising price of postage should invest in a mailbox like the one featured in The Lake House.
Posted Jul 08, 2006
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The Devil Wears Prada
(2006)
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John Larsen
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The Devil Wears Prada is a delicious page-turner of a movie, a wonderfully wicked examination of absolute power and how it corrupts absolutely.
Posted Jul 08, 2006
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The Da Vinci Code
(2006)
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John Larsen
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The Da Vinci Code is just another summer movie for people who like pulp in their cinematic orange juice.
Posted Jul 08, 2006
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Cars
(2006)
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John Larsen
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Cars is no exception, a breathtaking, funny, sweet, soulful, eye-popping exercise in filmmaking, another home run for Pixar.
Posted Jul 08, 2006
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Wolf Creek
(2005)
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John Larsen
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We know these characters are headed for slaughter, so the fun comes in seeing how long the filmmakers can sustain the suspense before clubbing us over the head.
Posted May 08, 2006
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Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School
(2005)
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John Larsen
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Some will find Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dance and Charm School quaint, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Posted May 08, 2006
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