Francesca Rudkin

Francesca Rudkin
Francesca Rudkin's reviews only count toward the Tomatometer when published at the following Tomatometer-approved publication(s): New Zealand Herald
Publications: New Zealand Herald

Movie Reviews Only

T-Meter Title | Year
3.5/5 No Score Yet Daffodils (2019) Musicals aren't my thing, but I left this celebration of our music and Kiwi-ness with a smile; it's a delightful romp through the decades and it's easy to get caught up in this bittersweet love story. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Mar 21, 2019
2.5/5 55% Swimming with Men (2018) While predictable and a bit flat, it's still an underdog sporting flick, which is the very best kind, so while hardly memorable Swimming with Men manages to be pleasant viewing. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Feb 28, 2019
3.5/5 81% Ben is Back (2018) This is hardly an upbeat, feel-good, festive film. Ben is Back is full of raw emotion, desperation and hope but comes with a layer of gloss that attempts to give the gritty subject a sheen for a broader audience. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Feb 5, 2019
4.5/5 78% Mary Poppins Returns (2018) For family viewing these holidays, Mary Poppins Returns is a must; thanks largely to Emily Blunt's utterly charming performance. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 19, 2018
4/5 66% Vice (2018) It's edgy, good fun and to this day the subject and his legacy remain relevant and controversial. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 19, 2018
4.5/5 99% Free Solo (2018) This isn't just a sport story, it's a drama about man verses dramatic landscape, beautifully captured by adventurer, mountaineer, and photographer Jimmy Chin. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 13, 2018
4/5 98% Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018) This is a neat little film bringing to light Israel's fascinating story, with excellent performances making it an enjoyable literary romp. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 6, 2018
34% The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018) It's lovely to see a film make bold choices, such as including ballet performed by the remarkable American ballerina Misty Copeland, as both a tribute to its origins and a novel way of telling the story. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Nov 26, 2018
3/5 37% Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) It's a darkly lit and moody period fantasy mixing lightning-fast action scenes with gently paced conversations that reveal small snippets of information, topped off with a few big clangers, all aimed at encouraging you to line up for the next film. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Nov 15, 2018
4/5 75% Yellow is Forbidden (2018) Numerous story threads keep the interest, and Pei makes for delightful company -- you don't need to be interested in fashion to enjoy this visual feast of a film. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Oct 31, 2018
No Score Yet Born Racer (2018) Those who love motor sport will lap all this up... And if you're not a fan you'll still leave with a new respect for IndyCar racing, and appreciation for what Dixon has achieved. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Oct 24, 2018
3.5/5 94% RBG (2018) This isn't a definitive documentary, rather it's an enlightening and entertaining film taking us behind the scenes of a remarkable woman; it will appeal to audiences who know her as a social media meme, and to long-time supporters. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 27, 2018
3.5/5 72% Christopher Robin (2018) Christopher Robin is feel-good, merging Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore and the gang into the live action seamlessly, often with slapstick and crazy antics. It's also essentially a moving and uplifting story about a man having a mid-life crisis. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 24, 2018
3.5/5 100% McKellen: Playing the Part (2017) What a treat it is to have the Oscar-award winner telling his own story in his own words. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 5, 2018
3.5/5 68% On Chesil Beach (2018) On Chesil Beach isn't the cheeriest of romances, and if you have read the book then the screen version isn't quite as lyrical. Rather, it's a contemplative slow burner that lingers with you for days. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Aug 30, 2018
3/5 57% LBJ (2017) Harrelson captures Johnson's dogged, hardworking approach to politics... He injects pace, energy and colour into a familiar storytelling approach that flicks back and forth across the period. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Aug 9, 2018
3.5/5 89% Whitney (2018) Slickly presented, cohesive and moving. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Jul 26, 2018
3.5/5 81% Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018) Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again isn't as uplifting and hilarious as the original but this sun-kissed, wonderfully cheesy celebration of 70s' Scandi-pop works a slightly different kind of magic. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Jul 20, 2018
3/5 70% Double Lover (L'amant double) (2018) You've got to admire Ozon for presenting a frivolous film with such a serious approach, but it's easy to miss that he's in on the joke. Double Lover should be viewed with a smirk. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Jul 5, 2018
3/5 71% Edie (2017) Not a lot really happens in Edie; the pace is gentle and the story familiar, but it's a pleasant, easy experience - aided by the dramatic mountain footage. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Jul 2, 2018
3.5/5 100% Number One (Numéro une) (2017) This is a film about misogyny, equality and diversity; but the female roles are better written and the actresses make the most of it. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted May 17, 2018
4/5 85% Tully (2018) Tully comes with both bitingly sharp on-the-nose observations and a touch of fantasy, each handled with a mix of intensity and light heartedness - it moves and uplifts, and reminds us we're not alone. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted May 15, 2018
3.5/5 68% Finding Your Feet (2018) Following in the footsteps of films such as Calendar Girls and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel comes another charming, if somewhat predictable, crowd-pleaser about embracing life in your later years. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Feb 23, 2018
3/5 No Score Yet Let Me Go (2017) While the tone feels uneven, Let Me Go is handsomely shot and filled with brave subject matter - and, thanks to strong performances by Stevenson and Bertling, it leaves you with plenty to ponder. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 26, 2017
3.5/5 84% Borg Vs. McEnroe (2018) Both characters are presented sympathetically - which may surprise when it comes to the belligerent McEnroe - and makes the tournament's final match that much more exciting for those unaware of what happened; for those who do, it's still worth reliving. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 26, 2017
3.5/5 80% The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017) Just like Stevens as Dickens, The Man Who Invented Christmas is immensely likeable, and undoubtedly will having you leaving the theatre feeling more festive than when you entered. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 26, 2017
3.5/5 63% Goodbye Christopher Robin (2017) Director Simon Curtis ... sends a pertinent warning about sharing our children's lives with the world. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 26, 2017
3.5/5 87% Only the Brave (2017) It takes a very respectful view of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, with just the right emotional kick to leave an impression. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 26, 2017
3/5 30% A Bad Moms Christmas (2017) Like the original, Bad Moms 2 is saved by an admirable and likeable cast, and an inkling that somewhere underneath all this lightweight nonsense is a very sensible idea. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 26, 2017
89% Maudie (2017) A bleak but uplifting and well-acted biopic. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 26, 2017
4/5 No Score Yet My Year With Helen (2017) There are delightful, unguarded moments. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 26, 2017
4/5 100% Paddington 2 (2018) You shudder at how cheesy this could, and perhaps should, be, but in the hands of the British Paddington 2 is warm, witty and wonderfully eccentric. It'll certainly make you laugh, and perhaps cry, and remind you of the incredible power of kindness. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 21, 2017
3.5/5 No Score Yet No Ordinary Sheila (2017) The tenacity with which [Sheila's] explored her many passions and interests, generous spirit and lovely sense of humour, will leave you inspired, uplifted and probably moved. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Oct 26, 2017
2.5/5 39% The Mountain Between Us (2017) The Mountain Between Us goes out of its way to feed us information, such as how bodies quickly adjust to temperature, and that humans can go three weeks without food, but it's just too hard to believe the premise. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Oct 12, 2017
3.5/5 73% Final Portrait (2018) Tucci presents an engaging overview of the artist, undoubtedly one that will inspire viewers to continue their own exploration of a fascinating character. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Oct 5, 2017
3.5/5 65% Victoria & Abdul (2017) This is more a film about Victoria than Abdul, but their relationship has a timely message about acceptance and understanding between different cultures. Very pleasant indeed. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 21, 2017
4/5 78% Ruby Sparks (2012) Ruby Sparks is a snazzy and thought-provoking debut. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 11, 2017
3.5/5 63% Jack Reacher (2012) [Jack Reacher] is slick and superbly shot. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 11, 2017
4/5 79% The Place Beyond The Pines (2013) The Place Beyond the Pines is a film about actions and consequences; it's also a film about fatherhood, fate and second chances. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 11, 2017
3/5 32% Man on a Ledge (2012) Man on a Ledge certainly has its moments and if you don't take it seriously it's good B-grade fun, but considering the calibre of cast and its novel idea, it doesn't live up to its potential. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 11, 2017
3/5 62% La délicatesse (Delicacy) (2012) Though Delicacy has some moments of great sadness and genuine sweetness, it offers few surprises. It delivers the familiar whimsical tone of French romantic comedy and the considerable charm of its leading lady. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 11, 2017
4/5 72% The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) As far as new beginnings go, this is a pretty good start. The Amazing Spider-Man injects some new life into the superhero story. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 11, 2017
3.5/5 85% La princesse de Montpensier (The Princess of Montpensier) (2011) The Princess of Montpensier is pleasant viewing that asks little of its audience. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 11, 2017
3/5 59% Hysteria (2012) Hysteria isn't hysterical, but it's a light-hearted romp that will create its own buzz. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 11, 2017
4/5 No Score Yet How to Meet Girls From a Distance (2012) How to Meet Girls From A Distance is a great example of what can be achieved when talent meets opportunity. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 11, 2017
4/5 68% Ted (2012) Ted is, at heart, a relatively simple and predictable romantic comedy/buddy movie but it's much more than the extended single-gag it could so easily have been. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 11, 2017
3/5 38% Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012) [Ice Age 4] is fun, whacky and snappy entertainment from a madcap cast of characters that's not too scary (even in 3D) for the littlies to enjoy, and with just enough funny lines to keep their parents entertained. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 11, 2017
4/5 90% A Royal Affair (2012) Sex, power and politics drive Danish film-maker Nikolaj Arcel's intelligent and soundly crafted historical drama. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 11, 2017
3.5/5 80% Magic Mike (2012) Magic Mike might not have a lot to say about its characters or the male stripping industry, but the flashing bottoms, pelvic thrusts and toned six-packs that Soderbergh does deliver sure are a lot of fun. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 11, 2017
3/5 49% Hit & Run (2012) Those with a passion for cars - in particular anyone fond of American classics - will enjoy this endless car chase, but the rest of us will wonder where the witty romance went. - New Zealand Herald EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 11, 2017