Karen Krizanovich
Tomatometer-approved critic
| Publications: | Empire Magazine, Filmstar Magazine, Radio Times, The List, The Arts Desk |
Movie Reviews Only
| Rating | T-Meter | Title | Year | Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/5 | 33% | I Feel Pretty (2018) |
When the film fails it is because it often perpetuates what it is trying to destroy: the idea that judging by appearances is a legitimate mode of assessment.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Apr 30, 2018
|
| 4/5 | 34% | American Assassin (2017) |
What some will find a surprisingly unpredictable, action-packed bit of entertainment, others may find a politically dubious gun-and-bomb party, but this is one of the freshest political thrillers in years.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Sep 13, 2017
|
| 4/5 | 93% | Logan Lucky (2017) |
Logan Lucky is like those inline tube slides at a water park: you don't worry about where you're going, because getting there is so much darned fun.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Aug 21, 2017
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| 3/5 | 96% | Jawbone (2017) |
An honest look at a well-worn subject, this home-grown drama about a boxer's fight back to sobriety packs some punch.‐ Radio Times
Posted May 11, 2017
|
| 3/5 | 96% | Jawbone (2017) |
Winstone ... enlivens even the simplest dialogue; the reason he's a star is his ability to conjure meaning that may be absent or ambiguous in the script itself.‐ The List
Read More | Posted May 8, 2017
|
| 4/5 | 90% | Lady Macbeth (2017) |
Lady Macbeth is daring cinema that will chill you to the bone and leave you rooting for its understandably immoral heroine.‐ Radio Times
Read More | Posted Apr 27, 2017
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| 3/5 | 30% | Monster Trucks (2017) |
Despite a perky pace and a serious eco message, Monster Trucks is far from fresh.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Jan 4, 2017
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| 4/5 | 38% | Why Him? (2016) |
A breezy, likeable comedy with the potential to make both slackers and old schoolers smile.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Dec 20, 2016
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| 3/5 | 41% | Office Christmas Party (2016) |
Sentimental and just plain mental, this is the comedy we need this holiday season.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Dec 7, 2016
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| 3/5 | 81% | Chi-Raq (2015) |
Studded with smart couplets, dance numbers and scenes of grief verging on the Shakespearean, this vibrant, controversial film from director Spike Lee is deft and timely in its message.‐ Radio Times
Posted Dec 1, 2016
|
| 3/5 | 25% | Ben-Hur (2016) |
It's Ben-Hur for sure, but no real improvement on what's gone before; save Morgan Freeman's amazing dreadlocks.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Sep 6, 2016
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| 3/5 | 78% | Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016) |
Spinal Tap and Zoolander come together in a comedy take on the pop industry that's hot for the first half before it cools into submission.‐ Radio Times
Read More | Posted Aug 28, 2016
|
| 3/5 | 78% | The Shallows (2016) |
It's a stellar role for Lively, who ... is amassing a respectable body of work across genres.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Aug 10, 2016
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| 4/5 | 55% | Jason Bourne (2016) |
Absolutely stonking action like you haven't seen in years.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Jul 26, 2016
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| 4/5 | 79% | The Conjuring 2 (2016) |
If you like to be scared, The Conjuring 2 is your upside-down crucifix.‐ Radio Times
Read More | Posted Jun 16, 2016
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| 4/5 | 79% | The Conjuring 2 (2016) |
Even hardened horror fans will find themselves covered in gooseflesh, as this spooky sequel ratchets up the tension like thumbscrews.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Jun 13, 2016
|
| 3/5 | 93% | Love Is Strange (2014) |
Pivoting on a loving couple growing older, not having finances in place, needing to rely on others to get by, Love Is Strange has universal poignancy.‐ The Arts Desk
Read More | Posted May 23, 2016
|
| 4/5 | 86% | Everybody Wants Some!! (2016) |
Pacey and completely entertaining, this comedy rocks.‐ Radio Times
Posted May 12, 2016
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| 41% | Jane Got a Gun (2016) |
If Jane Got a Gun is not the rousing feminist western we've been waiting for, it is a pony trek in the right direction.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Apr 18, 2016
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|
| 3/5 | 40% | The Sweeney - Paris (Antigang) (2015) |
A solid if lacklustre police caper with some sparkling moments.‐ Radio Times
Posted Apr 14, 2016
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| 2/5 | 28% | My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016) |
A sequel that ticks off all the right topics but only superficially. It simply doesn't have time to do more.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Mar 22, 2016
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| 3/5 | 63% | Truth (2015) |
The movie is wordy, worthy and often bombastic in dialogue, with Blanchett the backbone of the story while Redford's careful, nuanced portrayal of the nation's most trusted news anchor is a study in understatement.‐ Radio Times
Read More | Posted Mar 3, 2016
|
| 3/5 | 95% | Rams (Hrútar) (2016) |
Credible, hilarious and poignant by turns, Rams is a keenly detailed, well-paced and entertaining tale of family dynamics ...‐ Radio Times
Read More | Posted Feb 4, 2016
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| 4/5 | 95% | Creed (2015) |
A fresh-faced crowd-pleaser as smart and informed in the story's lore as it is rousing for Rocky fans and the uninitiated alike.‐ Radio Times
Read More | Posted Jan 15, 2016
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| 3/5 | 42% | In the Heart of the Sea (2015) |
In the Heart of the Sea is watchable enough. It just doesn't harpoon us the way its maker intended.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Dec 21, 2015
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| 4/5 | 92% | Grandma (2015) |
A story about intergenerational bonding in a non-icky way, it's not for the whole family, but it is one hell of a ride for anyone with a lot of miles on the biological clock.‐ Radio Times
Read More | Posted Dec 13, 2015
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| 3/5 | 93% | Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict (2015) |
Director Lisa Immordino Vreeland rams this otherwise fairly conventional documentary with glamour and sadness meaning, content-wise, there is never a dull moment.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Dec 7, 2015
|
| 4/5 | 54% | The Dressmaker (2016) |
Despite its levity and wild shifts in tone, The Dressmaker is a heartbreaking tragicomedy. It's also imaginative, funny, colourful, poignant and unforgettable.‐ Radio Times
Read More | Posted Nov 20, 2015
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| 3/5 | 93% | The Black Panthers: Vanguard Of The Revolution (2015) |
Both educational and entertaining, the rise and fall of the most alluring and controversial black organisation of America's late 60s comes to life via facts, vivid images and unique statements.‐ Radio Times
Read More | Posted Oct 23, 2015
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| 3/5 | 80% | McFarland USA (2015) |
Although it doesn't strictly adhere to the facts, McFarland is a treasure trove of sporting goodness, while also being a warm, human tale about love, family and learning that a high pain threshold is part of the ticket to success.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Sep 21, 2015
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| 4/5 | 46% | A Walk In The Woods (2015) |
Despite plodding interchanges and lack of cinematic bravura for some of America's most spectacular scenery, Redford and Nolte are genuinely hilarious together.‐ Radio Times
Read More | Posted Sep 17, 2015
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| 3/5 | 63% | Ricki And The Flash (2015) |
Kline and ex-rock star Rick Springfield fit in well while Streep convinces as the failed rock star with a heart of gold-plate - tight leather, dumb hair and all.‐ Radio Times
Read More | Posted Sep 3, 2015
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| 3/5 | 82% | Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015) |
If Wes Anderson met John Hughes and they made a weepy, this would be it.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Aug 31, 2015
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| 3/5 | 66% | The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015) |
A pristine Cold War lookbook of 1960s spy fashion.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Aug 11, 2015
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| 3/5 | 84% | Eden (2015) |
A soundtrack of 40 chosen tunes and sideline looks at Daft Punk's genesis makes Hansen-Lve's assured fourth feature a heady trip for all ex-ravers.‐ Radio Times
Read More | Posted Jul 23, 2015
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| 4/5 | 91% | Dear White People (2014) |
Stylish, sleek, sharp and almost glib, this terrific debut by writer/director Justin Simien is a streamlined satire that swaps subtlety for jaw-dropping honesty.‐ Radio Times
Posted Jul 9, 2015
|
| 2/5 | 33% | Kick-Ass 2 (2013) |
Prediction: more tweets, Snapchats and texts will be sent during this film than during the original.‐ The Arts Desk
Read More | Posted Jul 7, 2015
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| 4/5 | 90% | Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films (2012) |
This is one documentary that's a must-see for anyone interested in film history, or seeing hope and enthusiasm triumph critical and financial success.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Jun 1, 2015
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| 4/5 | 80% | Man Up (2015) |
Man Up is heaped with wit and insight, and its smart script, sharp direction and crisp performances, all set against buzzing London streets that denizens will recognise, give it the feel of a frisky romantic version of After Hours.‐ Radio Times
Posted May 28, 2015
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| 3/5 | 80% | The New Girlfriend (2015) |
Ozon unashamedly sails straight into the incredible, with fantasies and twists to at least keep the audience guessing.‐ Radio Times
Read More | Posted May 21, 2015
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| 3/5 | 58% | Still (2015) |
Strong performances and vivid production design buoy up this evocative, troubling film that shows flashes of brilliance from writer/director Simon Blake, making his feature debut.‐ Radio Times
Read More | Posted May 8, 2015
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| 3/5 | 56% | The Age of Adaline (2015) |
Free of violence, death or graphic sex, this romantic fantasy is an easy-going throwback to women's films of yore, complete with a smooth narration filling in the gaps.‐ Radio Times
Read More | Posted May 8, 2015
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| 3/5 | 56% | The Age of Adaline (2015) |
An unusual, thoughtful drama that takes a novel look at the fountain of youth, and that afterwards will have those seeking nothing more than a little light entertainment commenting, 'Well, that was quite nice, wasn't it?'‐ The List
Read More | Posted May 4, 2015
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| 4/5 | 96% | Dark Horse (2016) |
More stirring than National Velvet, less sentimental than Champions, Dark Horse never contrives to make us cry. And, like a well-told tale at the pub, it grips from start to finish.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Apr 13, 2015
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| 4/5 | 86% | John Wick (2014) |
This is a sleek, wet, near noir, with neon and shadows aplenty. Essentially, it's really rather good.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Apr 6, 2015
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| 3/5 | 29% | Get Hard (2015) |
In this occasionally brilliant, if somewhat uneven, showcase of speedy plotting and even speedier improvisation, Hart and Ferrell's chemistry is such that it seems certain to pair them up in the future.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Mar 25, 2015
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| 3/5 | 10% | Unfinished Business (2015) |
Packed with montages and non-sequiturs, this is a weird-ass business comedy that still manages to pack a tiny emotional sucker punch in the end.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Mar 4, 2015
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| 2/5 | 10% | The Boy Next Door (2015) |
At points it feels like a competent thriller built on deeply sketchy bones.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Feb 23, 2015
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| 4/5 | 74% | Crash (2004) |
As events (both kind and cruel) unfold, even the most seasoned movie-goer will find something here to surprise -- and shock.‐ Radio Times
Read More | Posted Feb 23, 2015
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| 3/5 | 84% | Predestination (2015) |
Predestination twists and turns so often you won't be sure which way to look.‐ The List
Read More | Posted Feb 16, 2015
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