Shane Slater
Tomatometer-approved critic
| Publications: | AwardsCircuit.com |
Movie Reviews Only
| Rating | T-Meter | Title | Year | Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/4 | 73% | Believer (2018) |
...solid mainstream entertainment for those seeking slick production values, exciting action scenes, and an engaging storyline.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Jun 7, 2018
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| 3/4 | 83% | The Desert Bride (La Novia del Desierto) (2018) |
Garcia's nuanced performance is indeed a marvel to watch, guided by Atán and Pivato's humanistic direction and storytelling.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted May 4, 2018
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| 3/4 | 82% | In the Last Days of the City (Akher ayam el madina) (2018) |
While the film is shot with a loving warmth that conveys an almost perpetual 'magic hour', there's a distant feeling to the film's overly studied approach.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Apr 26, 2018
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| 2.5/4 | 55% | Godard Mon Amour (Le redoutable) (2018) |
Part love story, part character study, and part homage, Godard Mon Amour is a mixed bag of cinematic tricks.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Apr 20, 2018
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| 2.5/4 | 95% | Zama (2018) |
Lucrecia Martel remains one of cinema's best visual stylists.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Apr 10, 2018
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| 4/4 | 96% | Boyz n the Hood (1991) |
All of these supporting characters proved indispensable to the film's lasting power.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Apr 2, 2018
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| 3/4 | 74% | The China Hustle (2018) |
An eye-opening yet somewhat underwhelming documentary.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Mar 28, 2018
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| 3/4 | 100% | Keep the Change (2018) |
Israel delivers a precious take on the classic romantic comedy.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Mar 15, 2018
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| 2.5/4 | 89% | Claire's Camera (La caméra de Claire) (2018) |
If nothing else, Claire's Camera succeeds in providing dreamy escapism.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Mar 10, 2018
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| 3/4 | 93% | The Cage Fighter (2018) |
Carman may initially seem like an "average Joe," but both he and this thoughtful film contain multitudes.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Feb 2, 2018
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| 3/4 | 86% | Mary and The Witch's Flower (2018) |
When the film eventually embraces the razzle-dazzle of magic and adventure, it's a thrilling ride.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Jan 23, 2018
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| 3/4 | 91% | On Body and Soul (A Teströl és Lélekröl) (2018) |
On Body and Soul is arguably too cerebral to fully resonate as a romance. But ...there's something enchanting in its inexplicable love affair. ‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Jan 17, 2018
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| 3.5/4 | 89% | The Insult (L'insulte) (2018) |
The Insult grips the audience from start to finish.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Jan 10, 2018
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| 3/4 | 98% | Quest (2017) |
Director Jonathan Olshefski stumbles on a profoundly bittersweet testament to the human condition. At once universal and specific, Quest is a truly American story.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Dec 12, 2017
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| 3/4 | 77% | Woodpeckers (Carpinteros) (2017) |
Woodpeckers is a film that showcases an emerging talent.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Dec 4, 2017
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| 3/4 | 87% | A Ciambra (2018) |
The curiosity of Carpignano's sharp directorial vision ... brings these characters and their world to life.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Dec 3, 2017
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| 3/4 | 96% | A Taxi Driver (2017) |
While conventional wisdom would lead to you expect a somber affair, Jang instead takes a national tragedy and crafts a winning film about sacrifice and honor.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Nov 13, 2017
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| 2.5/4 | 87% | Song of Granite (2017) |
Song of Granite ... begins to outstay its welcome. But until then, it's an undeniable beauty.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Nov 12, 2017
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| 3/4 | 97% | Félicité (2017) |
Félicité expresses the moods of life with a magnetic, potent grace.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Oct 31, 2017
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| 3/4 | 86% | The Divine Order (Die göttliche Ordnung) (2017) |
The film is merely heartwarming without inspiring the rousing spirit of activism it depicts.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Oct 28, 2017
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| 3/4 | 98% | BPM (Beats Per Minute) (120 battements par minute) (2017) |
BPM (Beats Per Minute) is so fascinating and lovingly crafted that it leaves you wanting more.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Oct 23, 2017
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| 2/4 | 80% | Thy Father's Chair (2017) |
Rarely has a film felt so literally like a chore to watch.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Oct 12, 2017
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| 3/4 | 88% | The Wound (Inxeba) (2017) |
The Wound may not be the incendiary whistle-blower it could have been, but its engaging array of perspectives offers immense potential as a conversation starter...‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Oct 6, 2017
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| 3/4 | 95% | Window Horses (2017) |
Satisfying on both an emotional and intellectual level, Window Horses is an animated film any family can enjoy.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Sep 29, 2017
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| 3/4 | 56% | Bobbi Jene (2017) |
Lind doesn't quite illuminate what exactly makes Bobbi Jene so groundbreaking. But ultimately, the emotions expressed ... speak for themselves.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Sep 21, 2017
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| 3.5/4 | 75% | In the Fade (Aus dem Nichts) (2017) |
Through the efficient storytelling and the skillful editing, In The Fade thus transforms seamlessly from gut-wrenching tragedy to a lean, propulsive revenge thriller.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Sep 15, 2017
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| 3/4 | 75% | Sheikh Jackson (2018) |
What could have been just a quirky tale of a boy's pop star obsession ultimately becomes an amazingly profound tale of self-love above all else.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Sep 15, 2017
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| 2.5/4 | 100% | Wajib (2017) |
In the end, it all boils down to a rather simple father-son drama.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Sep 15, 2017
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| 2.5/4 | 33% | Racer and the Jailbird (Le Fidèle) (2018) |
Though Roskam and Schoenaarts eventually hit the mark, Racer and the Jailbird provides little more than superficial entertainment.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Sep 14, 2017
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| 3/4 | 91% | The Disaster Artist (2017) |
A triumphant story of friendship and a testament to the phrase 'go big or go home.'‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Sep 13, 2017
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| 3/4 | 84% | Disobedience (2018) |
A potent, feminist exploration of human desire and the true meaning of freedom.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Sep 12, 2017
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| 3/4 | 94% | A Fantastic Woman (Una mujer fantástica) (2018) |
This aptly titled drama features a uniquely inspiring protagonist, showcased through the perceptive eye of a brilliant filmmaker.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Sep 11, 2017
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| 2.5/4 | 36% | You Disappear (Du forsvinder) (2017) |
You Disappear raises thought-provoking questions ... but its heady approach neglects the soul of its most fascinating character.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Sep 11, 2017
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| 3/4 | 96% | The Florida Project (2017) |
The Florida Project is one of this year's most warm, vibrant films.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Sep 11, 2017
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| 3/4 | 89% | I, Tonya (2018) |
[I, Tonya] ingeniously transforms a maligned villain into a hero we can't help but love.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Sep 11, 2017
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| 3/4 | 69% | On Chesil Beach (2018) |
There isn't enough of that exciting 'kitchen sink' messiness in this otherwise conventional 'prestige' drama.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Sep 10, 2017
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| 3/4 | 86% | Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami (2018) |
A multi-faceted and nakedly honest portrait of a rebel, a survivor, and an incomparable icon.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Sep 9, 2017
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| 3.5/4 | 95% | Call Me by Your Name (2018) |
Filled with moments of pure bliss, this deeply touching film is a romance for the ages.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Sep 7, 2017
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| 1.5/4 | 71% | Kill Me Please (Mate-me por favor) (2017) |
While its varied themes and styles are ambitious, the film never fully coheres to pique audience interest.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Aug 31, 2017
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| 3/4 | 83% | Polina (Polina, danser sa vie) (2017) |
With a compelling human interest story at the heart of its narrative, Polina hits familiar beats.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Aug 24, 2017
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| 3/4 | 94% | Gook (2017) |
Justin Chon proves he can deliver cinematic art that impresses on both an aesthetic and thematic level.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Aug 17, 2017
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| 3/4 | 88% | The Nile Hilton Incident (2017) |
While the script has little more to say than "corruption is bad," Saleh smartly infuses the film with the righteous fury of its political context.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Aug 10, 2017
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| 3/4 | 97% | Whose Streets? (2017) |
Whose Streets? spotlights the dedicated efforts of the Black Lives Matter activists in vivid detail.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Aug 9, 2017
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| 3/4 | 98% | In This Corner of the World (Kono sekai no katasumi ni) (2017) |
The underlying optimism of the story and its quietly courageous protagonist will leave you feeling inspired and deeply moved.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Jul 31, 2017
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| 2.5/4 | 85% | The Fencer (Miekkailija) (2017) |
The Fencer is respectable, well-acted and ultimately heartwarming, but it's also forgettable.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Jul 21, 2017
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| 2.5/4 | 88% | The Untamed (La región salvaje) (2017) |
The Untamed is like a nightmare you're trying to recall a week after the fact. The details are murky, but you know it was absolutely deranged.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Jul 21, 2017
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| 2/4 | 19% | False Confessions (Les fausses confidences) (2017) |
False Confessions devolves into a mad -- and maddening -- string of mindgames.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Jul 17, 2017
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| 3.5/4 | 99% | City of Ghosts (2017) |
Heineman wields his impressive strengths as a filmmaker, assembling powerful images that paint an unforgettable picture.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Jul 6, 2017
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| 3/4 | 88% | The Ornithologist (O ornitólogo) (2017) |
Boldly blurs the lines between reality and fantasy, ensnaring the viewer in a mysterious and mesmerizing adventure.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Jun 22, 2017
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| 3/4 | 94% | SCORE: A Film Music Documentary (2017) |
Delving into the film history and theory behind the music, Schrader crafts a delightful treat for movie fans.‐ AwardsCircuit.com
Read More | Posted Jun 16, 2017
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