Daniel Etherington

Publications: | Sight and Sound, Film4 |
Movie Reviews Only
Rating | T-Meter | Title | Year | Review |
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3.5/5 | 64% | Warlords (Tau ming chong) (2010) |
Grand historical filmmaking from Peter Chan, if slightly confusing and cobbled in places.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Nov 7, 2008
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50% | Jurassic Park III (2001) |
An efficient and surprisingly palatable finale to the Jurassic franchise.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Nov 5, 2008
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2.5/5 | 11% | Timeline (2003) |
In Michael Crichton's oeuvre, this is more The 13th Warrior than Westworld. Silly larks for young boys with liberal parents.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Nov 5, 2008
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14% | Ghost Ship (2002) |
B-movies can be better than this.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Oct 29, 2008
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4.5/5 | 84% | Batman Begins (2005) |
An impressive cinematic renaissance for DC Comics' Dark Knight, and a blockbuster with more intelligence than most.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Oct 29, 2008
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4/5 | 42% | Guta-yubalja-deul (A Bloody Aria) (2006) |
A gripping, disconcerting and thought-provoking exercise that eschews graphic horror in favour of complex, darkly funny psychological drama.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Oct 24, 2008
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3/5 | 86% | Slither (2006) |
Gunn's film is masses of nostalgic fun if you grew up with body horror of the 1980s. And just plain gross fun if you didn't.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Oct 15, 2008
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29% | The Punisher (2004) |
A comic-book-movie-that-pretends-it's-not that falls between stools.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Oct 14, 2008
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2.5/5 | 27% | Fantastic Four (2005) |
An opportunity squandered by Marvel, which really needs to watch its quality control more closely.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Oct 14, 2008
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2/5 | 53% | City of Ember (2008) |
A film that doesn't fulfil the promise of its source material but still offers a novel setting and reasonably gripping - if rushed - story.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Oct 10, 2008
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2/5 | 30% | Nights in Rodanthe (2008) |
Just about provides the goods as a romantic weepie but not the best Sparks adaptation.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Oct 10, 2008
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2.5/5 | 14% | Mirrors (2008) |
It's not the worst entry in Hollywood's catalogue of Asian horror remakes, but is Aja's most disappointing film to date.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Oct 10, 2008
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4/5 | 81% | Road to Perdition (2002) |
It's Newman who really stands out. Despite his advanced years -- he's 77 -- the man still has remarkable presence.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Oct 1, 2008
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2.5/5 | 54% | Steep (2007) |
Amazing imagery of remarkable achievements and a chronicle of the sport but one that could have dug a little deeper into the psychology of the extreme skiers.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Sep 26, 2008
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32% | Windtalkers (2002) |
Replete with Cage's finest angsty acting and John Woo's requisite concerns of friendship and rivalry in the face of violence.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Sep 19, 2008
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4/5 | 88% | The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2007) |
It's not quite up there with the best of Miyazaki's coming-of-age dramas featuring the likes of Kiki and Chihiro/Sen, but Hosada has proved himself after his Ghibli debacle. Great stuff.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Sep 19, 2008
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93% | The Apartment (1960) |
A true classic. It's about advancement, ambition, corruption and adultery, and it operates as both a satire and a sorrowful romance.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Sep 12, 2008
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3.5/5 | 38% | Partition (2007) |
A brave if earnest attempt to articulate historical issues that remain pertinent.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Sep 12, 2008
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3.5/5 | 81% | Eden Lake (2008) |
So harsh, bleak and intense it achieves a level of raw power. A sordid little nightmare of contemporary England.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Sep 12, 2008
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74% | Monster House (2006) |
A good laugh and technologically fascinating.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Sep 10, 2008
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3.5/5 | 83% | Paprika (2006) |
Though it's not quite up there with the cream of anime feature films, Paprika is a distinctive, quality addition to the genre.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Sep 9, 2008
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85% | The Emperor's New Groove (2000) |
Groove boasts some innovative tricks and sharp performances. Oh, and not too many songs. Phew.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Sep 8, 2008
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87% | Howl's Moving Castle (2005) |
Another work of great imagination and beauty from Hiyao Miyazaki.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Sep 7, 2008
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3.5/5 | 85% | Sweet Land (2006) |
Sweet Land could have been mawkish and overly sentimental, but Selim has a light touch and the film is intelligent, sensitive and sweet.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Sep 5, 2008
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4.5/5 | 96% | Ghost in the Shell (1996) |
Thrilling, compelling, moving and visually splendid, this isn't just a classic anime, it's a great film.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Sep 4, 2008
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97% | Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no haka) (1988) |
Even though it's not exactly easy to watch the protracted deaths of two children, this is not only one of the greatest anime ever, but also an important (anti-) war film. A moving masterpiece.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Sep 3, 2008
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5/5 | 97% | Spirited Away (2002) |
Spirited Away is wonderful.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Sep 3, 2008
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88% | Shrek (2001) |
Hugely entertaining, sassy and great-looking.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Sep 1, 2008
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90% | Lady and the Tramp (1955) |
A charming piece of vintage entertainment from Walt Disney, replete with wholesome family values.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Sep 1, 2008
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3/5 | 90% | The Cat Returns (2002) |
Interesting and watchable, but definitely not up to Miyazaki's standards.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Sep 1, 2008
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5/5 | 92% | Princess Mononoke (Mononoke-hime) (1999) |
All Miyazaki's films are masterpieces, but Princess Mononoke may just have the edge.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Sep 1, 2008
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5/5 | 96% | Monsters, Inc. (2001) |
It's funny and endearing, but its strengths are more in the 'physical' humour than in the dialogue, which isn't as rich in wit as Pixar's previous outings.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Sep 1, 2008
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5/5 | 97% | The Incredibles (2004) |
Wonderful stuff.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Aug 31, 2008
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2.5/5 | 45% | The Strangers (2008) |
A lean, effective little exercise in scares. It offers nothing new but is perfect for breaking the ice on a first date.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Aug 29, 2008
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4/5 | 70% | Ben X (2007) |
It has its moments of triteness but by and large Ben X is provocative, moving and effective. It's a refreshingly different film that cleverly uses aspects of game culture to tell and intriguing story and confront difficult social problems.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Aug 29, 2008
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46% | Constantine (2005) |
It's just sad that a movie ostensibly based on a frequently intelligent comic book should end up a no-brainer.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Aug 22, 2008
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55% | Madagascar (2005) |
Amiably entertaining.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Aug 11, 2008
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2/5 | 22% | Make It Happen (2008) |
There's dancing, there's emotion, there's an earnestly cheesy inspirational storyline, there's nothing you won't have seen before.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Aug 8, 2008
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3/5 | 50% | The Fox & the Child (2007) |
A film that looks sumptuous, presents viewers with a splendid array of European beasties, but veers off into some strange contrivances.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Aug 8, 2008
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3.5/5 | 53% | Tropa de Elite (The Elite Squad) (2007) |
An action-drama that's fascinating for its insights into Rio's social structures. But while it's compellingly intense, it's also morally muddled.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Aug 8, 2008
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3/5 | 49% | Before the Rains (2008) |
As a melodramatic period potboiler it works well enough.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Jul 22, 2008
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3/5 | 71% | Wanted (2008) |
It's just unfortunate that this interpretation of Wanted has such a ramshackle narrative.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Jun 25, 2008
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54% | Blade (1998) |
Achieves just the right combination of lore and fetishized action movie.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Jun 17, 2008
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3.5/5 | 97% | The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007) |
A great little documentary, full of laughs, drama and tension. It's like Rocky, but with a joystick. And an opponent who isn't actually seen stepping into the ring.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted Jun 6, 2008
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44% | 50 First Dates (2004) |
Within the witlessness and crudeness is a touching (or mawkish, depending on your perspective) romantic comedy trying to get out.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted May 29, 2008
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92% | Traffic (2000) |
Intelligent and highly thought-provoking.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted May 18, 2008
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82% | Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm (1993) |
Quintessential Batman and a quality cartoon.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted May 18, 2008
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2.5/5 | 23% | The Beverly Hillbillies (1993) |
An endearing revival for TV's favourite hicks.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted May 13, 2008
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3/5 | 76% | The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (2005) |
A slow, cold first half is followed by a lively, sunny second half.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted May 13, 2008
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19% | Joe's Apartment (1996) |
It's nicely realised, by human and roach alike, and something of a landmark in cinematic grossness.‐ Film4
Read More | Posted May 12, 2008
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