Anna Smith

Anna Smith
Tomatometer-approved critic
Publications: BBC.com, Empire Magazine, Rotten Tomatoes, Film4, Time Out, IGN Movies UK, Empire Magazine Australasia, Monocle, Metro (UK), The List

Movie Reviews Only

T-Meter Title | Year
70% Tenet (2020) It is easy to sit back and revel in the wonder of the big-screen experience, and to immediately want to see the film again. And again. - Deadline Hollywood Daily EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 14, 2020
2/5 46% A Rainy Day in New York (2020) As with most modern Woody Allens, it's a case of terrific cast, mediocre film. - The List EDIT
Read More | Posted Jun 1, 2020
3/5 54% Mouth to Mouth (2006) Page is strong as sparky yet vulnerable Sherry, although the talents of the supporting cast are variable... - Empire Magazine EDIT
Read More | Posted May 12, 2020
2/5 10% The Air I Breathe (2008) An affected, overblown ensemble drama, this is far less profound than it would have you believe. - Empire Magazine EDIT
Read More | Posted Apr 30, 2020
2/5 49% Four Kids and It (2020) The kids and Caine are good, but this lacks the magic of its source novel(s). Younger children may enjoy it, but its attempts to entertain older viewers mostly fall flat. - Empire Magazine EDIT
Read More | Posted Apr 3, 2020
3/5 87% Emma. (2020) Autumn de Wilde puts a subtly contemporary stamp on 'Emma' and there's a message here for the Insta generation. - Time Out EDIT
Read More | Posted Feb 7, 2020
4/5 83% Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) Russell Brand is, for once, well cast in the role of vague, vain singer Aldous, who's also the object of obsession for a waiter and aspiring musician in the Hawaiian resort. - BBC.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Jan 24, 2020
4/5 95% Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché (2019) The ingrained sexism it highlights could form the basis of several sequels. - Time Out EDIT
Read More | Posted Jan 14, 2020
4/5 84% Just Mercy (2020) An ultimately heart-warming watch that argues passionately for justice, community and kindness. - Time Out EDIT
Read More | Posted Jan 14, 2020
3/5 89% 1917 (2020) A heartfelt tribute to the sacrifices of our ancestors - a visually impressive and very respectable entry into the war film canon. - The List EDIT
Read More | Posted Jan 8, 2020
92% Fighting with My Family (2019) Fighting with My Family's trump card is an emotional one, and it's well played. - Sight and Sound EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 10, 2019
3/5 77% Frozen II (2019) If you loved 2013's Frozen for the songs, the characters and the comedy, then you're in luck with this chirpy sequel. - The List EDIT
Read More | Posted Nov 18, 2019
3/5 63% The Good Liar (2019) It all adds up to a film that's flawed, diverting but far from essential, unless seeing Mirren and McKellen together is on your bucket list. - The List EDIT
Read More | Posted Nov 7, 2019
4/5 88% Brittany Runs a Marathon (2019) It's a small, simple story with big themes, some of them rarely seen on screen. - The List EDIT
Read More | Posted Oct 30, 2019
2/5 26% Gemini Man (2019) Technically dazzling but surprisingly dull, Gemini Man is all spectacle and no thrills. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted Oct 8, 2019
4/5 82% Judy (2019) This is a portrait of a deeply lonely woman, and its best scenes are both poignant and gently amusing. - The List EDIT
Read More | Posted Oct 2, 2019
3/5 76% Hotel Mumbai (2019) An invented scenario might have been easier to accept as entertainment. - Time Out EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 23, 2019
3/5 24% The Kitchen (2019) This underdog story puts a gun to the head of sexism, and isn't afraid to pull the trigger. - The List EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 19, 2019
4/5 98% The Farewell (2019) Immigrant in-jokes abound but this isn't a niche film, it's a crowd-pleaser that's been a box-office hit in the US. Not every scene works but it's an enjoyable watch and Awkwafina is a revelation in a central role. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 18, 2019
3/5 63% It Chapter Two (2019) It's fun watching a group of talented actors play the grown-up versions of the kids but when it comes to the horror, it's a case of more of the same. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 4, 2019
3/5 27% A Million Little Pieces (2019) What's most remarkable here are the performances: Billy Bob Thornton is tremendous as seasoned patient Leonard, while every brief moment of counsellor Juliette Lewis is worth waiting for. - The List EDIT
Read More | Posted Aug 28, 2019
3/5 55% J.T. LeRoy (2019) A modern-day 'Cyrano de Bergerac' with a hefty dose of bonkers. - Time Out EDIT
Read More | Posted Aug 9, 2019
4/5 89% Blinded by the Light (2019) If this mix of comical period drama, song, dance and magic realism occasionally feels forced, it's unlikely to really bother those who respond to its themes. - The List EDIT
Read More | Posted Aug 5, 2019
4/5 72% Gwen (2019) This 19th century-set tale takes its time building a seriously eerie atmosphere loaded with credible period detail, with character development and drip-fed backstory just as crucial as scares and revelations. - The List EDIT
Read More | Posted Jul 15, 2019
3/5 42% Vita & Virginia (2019) Don't come here for a stylised period drama that glosses over either the class gap or her mental health. - Time Out EDIT
Read More | Posted Jul 1, 2019
3/5 60% Liam Gallagher: As It Was (2019) If As It Was dug deeper into the sibling rivalry it could be a revealing and thought-provoking documentary; instead, it's a fun but repetitive one. - The List EDIT
Read More | Posted Jun 7, 2019
4/5 98% Dirty God (2019) Dirty God isn't always an easy watch, but it's a rewarding one that marks both Knight and Polak as exceptional talents. - The List EDIT
Read More | Posted Jun 3, 2019
4/5 85% Once Upon a Time In Hollywood (2019) It's [Quentin] Tarantino at his most restrained and sophisticated. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted May 22, 2019
5/5 98% Portrait of a Lady on Fire (Portrait de la jeune fille en feu) (2020) If you miss the crashing waves and sexual longing of The Piano, and think Carol could have used a bit more Call Me By Your Name, then Portrait Of A Lady On Fire will set your world alight. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted May 22, 2019
5/5 89% Rocketman (2019) Pure Elton [John], and pure pleasure. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted May 20, 2019
4/5 96% Atlantics (2019) This film's power to surprise is one of its greatest pleasures, while also the source of its frustrations: don't come here looking for easy answers. - Time Out EDIT
Read More | Posted May 19, 2019
4/5 81% Long Shot (2019) Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen may not be an obvious pairing, but Jonathan Levine's romantic comedy makes a virtue of that. - The List EDIT
Read More | Posted Apr 29, 2019
4/5 82% Ben is Back (2018) Despite sentimental and melodramatic elements, there's a sad sense of authenticity to this portrait of family love in a suburban America that's being quietly devastated by a street drug. - The List EDIT
Read More | Posted Mar 11, 2019
3/5 60% The Front Runner (2018) Not Reitman's most exciting work but still a watchable political thriller. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted Jan 9, 2019
4/5 90% Capernaum (Capharnaüm) (2018) This contrast results in bursts of humor, recalling the likes of Slumdog Millionaire and The Florida Project. But Capernaum is a darker watch than either. - Time Out EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 14, 2018
4/5 100% Black Mother (2019) It's a quality film that enriches understanding of a culture in an unconventional way and will offer more on a second viewing. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted Oct 31, 2018
3/5 39% Slaughterhouse Rulez (2018) Every cliché is an intentional parody but while there's enough suspense and humour to pass the time, this isn't as clever as previous Pegg/Frost/Wright classics such as Shaun Of The Dead. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted Oct 31, 2018
4/5 66% Peterloo (2019) This is not Leigh's most diverting film but it is his most political. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted Oct 31, 2018
4/5 74% Bad Times at the El Royale (2018) Some subplots work better than others but it's still a hugely enjoyable piece of big-screen entertainment with a cult feel - with just enough heart to take the edge off the carnage. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted Oct 10, 2018
3/5 No Score Yet In Your Hands (2012) In Your Hands' terrific performances can't entirely justify 80 minutes of slow deliberation. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted Aug 23, 2018
2/5 32% Joyful Noise (2012) Joyful Noise comes alive in the performance scenes but the dramatic dialogue is so insipid that even good actors sound as though they're reading from a generic cut-and-paste script. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted Aug 23, 2018
4/5 67% Friends With Kids (2012) Blending Jennifer Westfeldt's talky, observational style with the kind of irreverent humour that helped Bridesmaids bridge the gender divide, Friends With Kids explores love, marriage and child-rearing with gusto and wit. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted Aug 23, 2018
3/5 70% The Source (La source des femmes) (2011) Based on a true story, The Source is a passionate but sometimes heavy-handed argument for gender equality in the Middle East. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted Aug 23, 2018
83% My Week with Marilyn (2011) My Week With Marilyn is a compelling look at Marilyn Monroe's insecurities - but Michelle Williams doesn't fully convince as the film legend. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted Aug 23, 2018
2/5 36% In Time (2011) If you're just after popcorn thrills, then In Time is not a complete waste of time, but future generations will not remember it. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted Aug 23, 2018
73% Everything Must Go (2011) Everything Must Go is not a comedy as imagined by most Will Ferrell fans, it instead takes Ferrell out of his usually funny-man comfort zone and puts him in a role about life's lessons and understanding those around us. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted Aug 23, 2018
4/5 76% The Help (2011) The Help is a somewhat light-hearted take on the relations between black maids and their bosses in 1960s Mississippi, giving a simplified yet well-intended story of Kathryn Stockett’s novel for the big screen. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted Aug 23, 2018
2/5 38% Johnny English Reborn (2011) Johnny English Reborn is amusing in parts and arguably better than the original, but ultimately it is a throwaway giggle for kids and indulgent parents. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted Aug 23, 2018
2/5 5% Abduction (2011) Abduction does little for Twilight's Taylor Lautner as he becomes a fish-out-of-water in this Bourne Identity-mirroring movie. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted Aug 23, 2018
2/5 45% Soul Surfer (2011) Soul Surfer is a heavy-handed plea for sympathy that doesn't do the real-life story justice. - Metro (UK) EDIT
Read More | Posted Aug 23, 2018