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 | Review | |
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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
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| Posted Sep 14, 2020
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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
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| Posted Jun 1, 2020
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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
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| Posted May 12, 2020
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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
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| Posted Apr 30, 2020
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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
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| Posted Apr 3, 2020
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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
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| Posted Feb 7, 2020
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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
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| Posted Jan 24, 2020
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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
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| Posted Jan 14, 2020
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4/5 | 84% | Just Mercy (2020) |
An ultimately heart-warming watch that argues passionately for justice, community and kindness. - Time Out
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| Posted Jan 14, 2020
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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
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| Posted Jan 8, 2020
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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
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| Posted Dec 10, 2019
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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
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| Posted Nov 18, 2019
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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
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| Posted Nov 7, 2019
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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
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| Posted Oct 30, 2019
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2/5 | 26% | Gemini Man (2019) |
Technically dazzling but surprisingly dull, Gemini Man is all spectacle and no thrills. - Metro (UK)
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| Posted Oct 8, 2019
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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
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| Posted Oct 2, 2019
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3/5 | 76% | Hotel Mumbai (2019) |
An invented scenario might have been easier to accept as entertainment. - Time Out
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| Posted Sep 23, 2019
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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
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| Posted Sep 19, 2019
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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)
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| Posted Sep 18, 2019
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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)
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| Posted Sep 4, 2019
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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
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| Posted Aug 28, 2019
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3/5 | 55% | J.T. LeRoy (2019) |
A modern-day 'Cyrano de Bergerac' with a hefty dose of bonkers. - Time Out
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| Posted Aug 9, 2019
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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
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| Posted Aug 5, 2019
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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
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| Posted Jul 15, 2019
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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
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| Posted Jul 1, 2019
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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
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| Posted Jun 7, 2019
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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
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| Posted Jun 3, 2019
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4/5 | 85% | Once Upon a Time In Hollywood (2019) |
It's [Quentin] Tarantino at his most restrained and sophisticated. - Metro (UK)
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| Posted May 22, 2019
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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)
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| Posted May 22, 2019
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5/5 | 89% | Rocketman (2019) |
Pure Elton [John], and pure pleasure. - Metro (UK)
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| Posted May 20, 2019
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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
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| Posted May 19, 2019
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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
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| Posted Apr 29, 2019
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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
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| Posted Mar 11, 2019
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3/5 | 60% | The Front Runner (2018) |
Not Reitman's most exciting work but still a watchable political thriller. - Metro (UK)
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| Posted Jan 9, 2019
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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
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| Posted Dec 14, 2018
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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)
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| Posted Oct 31, 2018
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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)
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| Posted Oct 31, 2018
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4/5 | 66% | Peterloo (2019) |
This is not Leigh's most diverting film but it is his most political. - Metro (UK)
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| Posted Oct 31, 2018
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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)
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| Posted Oct 10, 2018
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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)
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| Posted Aug 23, 2018
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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)
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| Posted Aug 23, 2018
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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)
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| Posted Aug 23, 2018
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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)
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| Posted Aug 23, 2018
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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)
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| Posted Aug 23, 2018
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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)
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| Posted Aug 23, 2018
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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)
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| Posted Aug 23, 2018
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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)
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| Posted Aug 23, 2018
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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)
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| Posted Aug 23, 2018
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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)
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| Posted Aug 23, 2018
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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)
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| Posted Aug 23, 2018
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