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The Abyss
(1989)
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James Sanford
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[A] remarkable, fascinating piece of work, which features amazing special effects, moments of incredible tension and a love story that's far more complex than the one Cameron would come up with in "Titanic."
Posted Dec 05, 2025
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3/4
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Tron
(1982)
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James Sanford
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This is definitely a case of style over substance -- but isn't that what the 1980s were all about?
Posted Oct 01, 2025
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4/4
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This Is Spinal Tap
(1984)
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James Sanford
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Every bit as hilarious as it was 15 years ago.
Posted Sep 09, 2025
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4/5
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(undefined)
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James Sanford
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surprisingly eerie and sure to inspire a few nightmares
Posted Feb 21, 2021
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2/4
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Sydney White
(2007)
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James Sanford
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Neither as funny as it thinks it is nor as tough to sit through as many other movies of this sort, 'Sydney' is custom-made for viewers who haven't taken their ACTs yet.
Posted Sep 21, 2007
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3.5/4
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Once
(2007)
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James Sanford
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It would be interesting to know how much of their conversation was actually in Carney's screenplay and how much was ad-libbed as the camera rolled; there's a wonderful spontaneity in both the dialogue and the musical performances.
Posted Sep 21, 2007
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2/4
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In the Valley of Elah
(2007)
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James Sanford
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The movie wears each of (its) hot-button issues as casually as a runway model might sport the latest Hermes scarf. The topics are brought up, shown off and then, in most cases, replaced with something else.
Posted Sep 21, 2007
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3.5/4
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Eastern Promises
(2007)
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James Sanford
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extremely violent and richly atmospheric... culminates in an electrifying scene that's destined to be discussed by movie fans for years.
Posted Sep 21, 2007
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2.5/4
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The Brave One
(2007)
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James Sanford
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not unlike its heroine: conflicted and unsure of which way to go. ...(Foster) emphasizes Erica's anguish and the shock that comes from realizing that you're capable of doing things you once would have found abhorrent.
Posted Sep 14, 2007
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3.5/4
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3:10 to Yuma
(2007)
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James Sanford
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Wade's voice sounds like far-off thunder wrapped in velvet; Evans' every word is marked by exhaustion and edginess. ...These men have real complexity, and so do the actors assigned to play them.
Posted Sep 06, 2007
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1.5/4
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Balls of Fury
(2007)
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James Sanford
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There were more good laughs in Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' resignation speech than there are in 'Balls of Fury'... a smorgasbord of ethnic stereotypes, a few slaps at prissy gays and an excess of weak gags...
Posted Aug 29, 2007
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1.5/4
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Illegal Tender
(2007)
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James Sanford
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De Jesus' outbursts are the only excitement in 'Illegal,' since the performances of most of the rest of the cast are barely amateurish and Reyes' story is not so much old-school as it is old-hat.
Posted Aug 24, 2007
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2.5/5
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The Nanny Diaries
(2007)
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James Sanford
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the movie has softened up a story that wasn't exactly hard-hitting to begin with. Polished, pleasant and generally pedestrian...
Posted Aug 24, 2007
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3/5
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Mr. Bean's Holiday
(2007)
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James Sanford
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little more than a string of sketches stitched together to form something close to a feature film. But that shouldn't bother those who like solid slapstick, which 'Holiday' provides in abundance.
Posted Aug 24, 2007
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2/4
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Arctic Tale
(2007)
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James Sanford
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(like) those cunningly engineered Disney 'True-Life Adventures'... in which scorpions appeared to dance... and supposedly lovelorn squirrels awaited what the narrator called their 'moment of fulfillment.'
Posted Aug 24, 2007
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2.5/4
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The Invasion
(2007)
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James Sanford
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neither as awful as the advance buzz suggested nor as gripping as it could have been... at least it has a few authentic shocks and some bright ideas rattling around in the chaos.
Posted Aug 17, 2007
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3.5/4
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Superbad
(2007)
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James Sanford
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Rogen and co-screenwriter Evan Goldberg are attempting to create a teen-angst comedy along the lines of 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' and 'Risky Business'... In the best sections of 'Superbad,' Rogen and Goldberg hit their targets.
Posted Aug 17, 2007
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3.5/4
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Stardust
(2007)
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James Sanford
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a delightful, thrilling and entertainingly offbeat yarn... Pfeiffer is positively spellbinding... Vaughn has given this seductive fairy tale the same dark comedy and out-of-left-field wackiness that made his first effort memorable.
Posted Aug 09, 2007
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3/4
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Becoming Jane
(2007)
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James Sanford
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Utilizing a lovely British accent and a graceful way with words, Hathaway communicates Austen's predicament beautifully. When she was creating her immortal heroines... the real Jane Austen must have pictured someone like Hathaway.
Posted Aug 09, 2007
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3/4
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Paris, je t'aime
(2006)
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James Sanford
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Generally, the comic pieces are sturdier than the abbreviated dramas. ...As might be expected, a couple of the chapters are misfires... Happily, 'Paris' saves some of its prime material for the last half-hour.
Posted Aug 09, 2007
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3.5/4
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Three Kings
(1999)
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James Sanford
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(The) screenplay abruptly changes tone after the first half-hour, eventually incorporating some genuinely harrowing sequences... The final picture becomes something noticeably deeper and smarter than its first reels suggest.
Posted Aug 06, 2007
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1.5/4
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Wild Wild West
(1999)
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James Sanford
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...has style to spare, a few laughs and some imaginative touches. Also like 'Avengers' it has stars who look like they'd rather be somewhere else, a lack of verve and a script that takes the long road to nowhere.
Posted Aug 06, 2007
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3.5/4
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William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream
(1999)
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James Sanford
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Bathed in sunshine, stardust and star power, this 'Dream' should be required viewing for anyone who insists Shakespeare is stuffy and dull. ...this is Shakespeare for the masses.
Posted Aug 05, 2007
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1.5/4
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The Singer
(2006)
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James Sanford
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takes the unusual -- and awkward -- approach of letting Puchi tell Hector's story via flashbacks... That's somewhat akin to letting Kevin Federline narrate the Britney Spears saga.
Posted Aug 03, 2007
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2.5/4
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Hot Rod
(2007)
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James Sanford
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a fitfully funny comedy that's neither a must-see nor a must to avoid.
Posted Aug 03, 2007
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3.5/4
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The Bourne Ultimatum
(2007)
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James Sanford
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There's something unusual about Matt Damon's spy thrillers built around the exploits of the amnesia-addled Jason Bourne: Each film in the series has actually been better than its predecessor...
Posted Aug 03, 2007
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4/4
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The Lives of Others
(2006)
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James Sanford
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a mesmerizing, heartbreaking thriller
Posted Jul 29, 2007
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4/4
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Jaws
(1975)
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James Sanford
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Like all the best suspense films, "Jaws" manages to somehow remain amazingly tense, even if you've seen the film before. No wonder so many moviegoers went back for repeat viewings.
Posted Jul 27, 2007
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1/5
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I Know Who Killed Me
(2007)
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James Sanford
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Small wonder that distributor TriStar Pictures has gone to great pains to hide this fiasco from critics: It's certainly the worst movie Lohan has ever appeared in and it's a formidable contender for worst movie of the year, period.
Posted Jul 27, 2007
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3.5/4
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Sunshine
(2007)
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James Sanford
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Boyle has always been exceptionally good at creating suspense... and he succeeds again here, incorporating tight close-ups, sometimes distorted sound and a series of striking visuals into a wondrously warped picture.
Posted Jul 27, 2007
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3/4
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The Simpsons Movie
(2007)
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James Sanford
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A full-speed-ahead laugh riot for its first 45 minutes, although it loses some of its gusto in the second half.
Posted Jul 27, 2007
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3/4
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Rescue Dawn
(2007)
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James Sanford
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certainly effective in its own way, thanks to a number of excellent performances, a few jolting visuals and Herzog's evocation of the steamy, almost impenetrable jungles of Laos and Thailand...
Posted Jul 27, 2007
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3.5/4
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Hairspray
(2007)
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James Sanford
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a vibrant musical comedy... (Shankman) knows how to stage and to shoot musical numbers, which sets 'Hairspray' high above other recent stage-to-screen adaptations like 'The Producers'...
Posted Jul 20, 2007
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4/5
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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
(2007)
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James Sanford
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boils down Rowling's brick-thick novel into a fat-free, fleet-footed adventure... although Rowling's readers may be disappointed to find that much of the story's color has been sacrificed in the name of economy...
Posted Jul 12, 2007
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2/4
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Transformers
(2007)
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James Sanford
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Admirers of great special effects... will find plenty to appreciate. ... (But) for every truly funny joke (and, admittedly, there are a few), there are a dozen duds.
Posted Jul 03, 2007
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1.5/4
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Live Free or Die Hard
(2007)
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James Sanford
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a pretty crummy comeback... (the) ridiculous stunts might have been dreamed up by a group of hyperactive 12-year-olds in the midst of a Red Bull binge; they should not have been staged by filmmakers old enough to know better.
Posted Jun 29, 2007
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3.5/4
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Ratatouille
(2007)
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James Sanford
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Bewitching... Bird's movies don't have the same rush-rush rhythms or the lowbrow humor that have become the hallmark of too many animated films. Instead, he puts the emphasis on characters and cleverness...
Posted Jun 29, 2007
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2/4
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Evening
(2007)
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James Sanford
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an 'if only I had...' nostalgic romance... even the appealing performances of Danes, Wilson and Gummer are not enough to make up for a ponderous story that assigns each of its characters a predictable fate...
Posted Jun 29, 2007
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Sicko
(2007)
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James Sanford
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has the same level of outrage as most of his other films but a considerably less strident attitude. ... Whether you agree with Moore's points or dispute them, 'Sicko' should inspire plenty of lively conversations.
Posted Jun 29, 2007
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3/4
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Evan Almighty
(2007)
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James Sanford
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Feeling nostalgic about those 'Oh, God' movies that George Burns made 30-odd years ago? Then 'Evan Almighty' might seem like manna from heaven.
Posted Jun 23, 2007
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3/4
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1408
(2007)
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James Sanford
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the majority of the movie is built entirely around Enslin's scary safari into his subconscious, and Cusack gives a high-powered performance that never fails to hold your attention.
Posted Jun 23, 2007
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3/4
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A Mighty Heart
(2007)
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James Sanford
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Winterbottom wants to create a you-are-there, semi-documentary-style environment, which doesn't leave any room for self-indulgent star turns. Jolie doesn't give him one...
Posted Jun 23, 2007
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2/4
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Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
(2006)
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James Sanford
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Tykwer squeezes every possible drop of melodramatic beauty out of this material. ...But the gorgeous visuals aren't enough to keep the drama from occasionally degenerating into beautifully produced hokum.
Posted Jun 15, 2007
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3/4
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Nancy Drew
(2007)
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James Sanford
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an enjoyable combination of a typically Nancy Drew-ish mystery -- which includes a murdered screen star and a haunted house -- and some 'Clueless'-style comedy.
Posted Jun 15, 2007
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4/5
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The Wind That Shakes the Barley
(2006)
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James Sanford
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the intensity of Murphy and Delaney's performances is shattering... 'Wind' never loses sight of the fact that sometimes a victim's wounds may be invisible to the eye, but every bit as painful as a stabbing...
Posted Jun 08, 2007
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2/5
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Surf's Up
(2007)
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James Sanford
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easy to look at, yet the storyline and gags are half-baked. Whenever things quiet down... the filmmakers feel obligated to trot out burping, flatulence or jokes about substances that belong in the toilet.
Posted Jun 08, 2007
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3.5/5
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Ocean's Thirteen
(2007)
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James Sanford
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Clooney, Pitt and Damon have now worked together long enough that they've found a delightful sense of synchronicity that makes even the throwaway lines worth catching.
Posted Jun 08, 2007
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2.5/4
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Mr. Brooks
(2007)
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James Sanford
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Costner and Hurt's strong performances are surrounded by flimsy plotting, unbelievable sidenotes... and occasionally absurd 'surprises.'
Posted Jun 01, 2007
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3.5/4
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Knocked Up
(2007)
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James Sanford
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an (almost) across-the-board crowd-pleaser. There's a reasonable amount of risque humor to pacify those who love gross-out gags and enough of a love story to satisfy viewers looking for a good romance.
Posted Jun 01, 2007
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3/4
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Year of the Dog
(2007)
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James Sanford
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frequently funny and sometimes touching, even though, like (Mike White's) earlier 'The Good Girl' and 'Chuck and Buck,' the comedy leaves a slightly sour aftertaste.
Posted May 25, 2007
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