Adam Tobias
Tomatometer-approved critic
Movies reviews only
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Room (2015) |
Room will leave you battered, bruised and exhausted, but it's unlike any other moviegoing experience you will encounter this year. - Isthmus (Madison, WI)
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| Posted Nov 22, 2015
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Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015) |
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is more about the journey than the destination. And it's well worth the ride. - Isthmus (Madison, WI)
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| Posted Jul 03, 2015
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Inside Out (2015) |
Usually those annoying 3D glasses are worth neither the hassle nor the surcharge, but in this case they saved my two children from noticing their normally stoic father blubbering like a newborn baby. - Isthmus (Madison, WI)
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| Posted Jun 19, 2015
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Tomorrowland (2015) |
I suspect there's a spectacular movie hiding in Tomorrowland, but you'd have to get past the preaching to find it. - Isthmus (Madison, WI)
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| Posted May 21, 2015
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Young Adult (2011) |
Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody are taking a huge leap of faith with their latest collaboration, the offbeat and sometimes scintillating Young Adult. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Dec 16, 2011
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New Year's Eve (2011) |
New Year's Eve actually has more in common with the day that proceeds the alcohol-soaked holiday ... it's the kind of experience that will leave you nauseated, give you a splitting headache and cause you to curl up on a couch in the fetal position. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Dec 09, 2011
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The Descendants (2011) |
As the morally conflicted and mentally distraught Matt King, Clooney gives what could be regarded as the most well-rounded and emotionally raw performance of his distinguished career. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Dec 02, 2011
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The Muppets (2011) |
Admittedly, there are a few misfires every once in a while, but with its barrage of self-referential humor, breaking through the fourth wall jokes, imaginative cameos and satirical winks at Hollywood conventions, The Muppets is a comedy lover's dream. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Nov 30, 2011
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The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 (2011) |
Sappy melodramatics are constantly on full display, the performances are distractingly exaggerated and the dialogue is so ridiculously cheesy it could force Kraft to file for bankruptcy ... yet, for some odd reason, I was kind of entertained. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Nov 18, 2011
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Jack and Jill (2011) |
No matter how difficult or painful it might be, Adam Sandler's closest friends really need to do the respectable and humane thing and sit him down for an intervention. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Nov 11, 2011
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Puss in Boots (2011) |
Puss in Boots is certainly not the cat's meow, but it doesn't deserve a place in the litter box either. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Nov 03, 2011
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Take Shelter (2011) |
Are his dreams a sign of things to come or are they simply the creation of an individual who is teetering on the brink of insanity? - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Oct 28, 2011
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The Thing (2011) |
Just make sure you stick around for the closing credits. The images and sounds should send chills down the spine of anyone who holds Carpenter's film in high regard. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Oct 14, 2011
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Moneyball (2011) |
Now if only Zaillian and Sorkin could work their magic and make the actual game of baseball that exciting. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Sep 23, 2011
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Drive (2011) |
The end result just emanates coolness. If Drive was a high school student, it would hang out with the popular kids, date the prom queen and have a permanent seat in detention. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Sep 16, 2011
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Our Idiot Brother (2011) |
With the way the world is going right now, maybe it would be a better place if we were all idiots like Ned. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Aug 26, 2011
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Fright Night (2011) |
Regardless, it's a nice change of pace to watch a film that takes the vampire mythology seriously and doesn't contain brooding hemoglobin-suckers that sparkle like diamonds in the sunlight. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Aug 19, 2011
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30 Minutes or Less (2011) |
Still, with its highs and its lows, 30 Minutes or Less is an uneven mixed bag that doesn't quite explode off the screen. But the scales do tip to the positive side. Only slightly, though. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Aug 12, 2011
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The Smurfs (2011) |
I can't smurfin' believe I'm actually going to say this, but "The Smurfs" is not a cinematic travesty. Far from it, in fact. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Jul 29, 2011
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Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) |
Add all of those positive attributes together and you've got a motion picture that rivals X-Men: First Class as the most impressive comic book adaptation of the summer. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Jul 22, 2011
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) |
As they say, all good things must come to an end. But in this instance, you can take solace in knowing the fat lady can belt out one heck of a final note. Thanks for the memories, Harry Potter. We'll miss you. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Jul 15, 2011
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Horrible Bosses (2011) |
Horrible Bosses is not the kind of comedy that delivers many gut-busting laughs. You know the guffaws I'm talking about - the ones that leave your sleeves completely saturated from dabbing away the tears that stream down your face. But ... - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Jul 08, 2011
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Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) |
Even though the astonishing special effects and stunt work are a sight to behold, just remember this: Your eyes will be the only organ in your body that will receive any type of stimulation. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Jul 01, 2011
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Cars 2 (2011) |
Not every Pixar feature needs to be deeply profound or lead you to the brink of tears for it to be a worthwhile experience. What's so wrong with just having a blast at the movies? Most of the time that's all my inner-child needs. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Jun 24, 2011
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Green Lantern (2011) |
It is of my opinion that superhero movies are supposed to be super. Green Lantern is merely ordinary. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Jun 17, 2011
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Super 8 (2011) |
It is said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. With Super 8, Steven Spielberg must be blushing like a reticent schoolgirl who just got asked to the formal. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Jun 10, 2011
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The Tree of Life (2011) |
Similar to the great Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life is an awe-inspiring visual splendor that will leave you searching for answers long after the closing credits scroll across the screen. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Jun 03, 2011
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The Hangover Part II (2011) |
I am not going to deny The Hangover Part II follows the same blueprint as the first film, but, to be honest, it didn't bother me one bit. The reason? I was too busy laughing to care. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted May 27, 2011
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Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) |
You know, there was a time when the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise supplied as many jaw-dropping thrills as the Disney theme park attraction by which it was inspired. But now it provides about as much enjoyment as waiting in line for said ride. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted May 20, 2011
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Bridesmaids (2011) |
Prepare yourself to hear this comparison often: Bridesmaids is like a female version of The Hangover. But don't ever expect those words, or any variation of them, to roll off my tongue. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted May 13, 2011
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Thor (2011) |
Thor has enough eye-popping visuals that slapping on a pair of 3-D glasses isn't even necessary. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted May 06, 2011
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Fast Five (2011) |
Finally, The Rock has come back to the action genre. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Apr 29, 2011
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Scream 4 (2011) |
Still, I think it might be time to finally put the Scream series in its grave. At least that way it will go out on a high note. And isn't that what we all want? - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Apr 15, 2011
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Born to Be Wild (2011) |
This may make me sound like less of a man, but I'm going to say it anyway: Born to Be Wild is by far the most adorable movie I've seen in the theater in a long time. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Apr 08, 2011
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Source Code (2011) |
Source Code is one of those infrequent movies that keeps you guessing at each and every turn. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Apr 01, 2011
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Red Riding Hood (2011) |
Red Riding Hood is like 2010's The Wolfman covered in teenage bubble gum schlock. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Mar 11, 2011
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Rango (2011) |
Rango might be the first animated feature film from Industrial Light & Magic, but in many ways it's easy to forget you are watching an actual cartoon. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Mar 04, 2011
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Hall Pass (2011) |
Hall Pass gave me the best workout I've had in months. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Feb 25, 2011
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I Am Number Four (2011) |
I Am Number Four could have been a whole lot worse. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Feb 18, 2011
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Gnomeo & Juliet (2011) |
Rather than staying completely faithful to Shakespeare's literary work, the screenwriters appear to be more concerned with cramming the film full of tired sight gags, humorless pop culture references and uninspired wordplay. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Feb 11, 2011
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The Mechanic (2011) |
If you've already seen the Bronson vehicle that was released almost 40 years ago (or if you're an action fan in general) you won't be in for many surprises, but that doesn't mean the new rendition is lacking in entertainment value or nail-biting suspense. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Jan 28, 2011
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No Strings Attached (2011) |
[Ashton Kutcher] is not a horrible actor by any means - he just seems to suffer from a bad case of Nick Cage-icitis whenever he picks his films. It appears, for once, he has finally taken his medicine. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Jan 21, 2011
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The Green Hornet (2011) |
As a journalist, I can't come down too hard on a film's action scenes when they include a half of a car speeding through a newsroom and a shootout in an area where massive spools of newspapers are stored. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Jan 14, 2011
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I Love You Phillip Morris (2009) |
A few words of warning: I Love You Phillip Morris has nothing to do with the powerful tobacco company or the man it was named after. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Jan 07, 2011
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127 Hours (2010) |
Any other filmmaker would have probably taken a minimalist approach in crafting 127 Hours, but Boyle uses his signature kinetic style and visual prowess to make the movie seem as enormous as the Chrysler Building. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Dec 03, 2010
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Fair Game (2010) |
If I wanted to hear someone's slanted view on our past and present governments, I'd turn on the television and listen to any of the loud and brash blowhards on Fox News or MSNBC. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Nov 26, 2010
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) |
Harry Potter fans, your bittersweet moment is here. Fortunately, the sweet far outweighs the bitter. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Nov 19, 2010
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Morning Glory (2010) |
If Hollywood decides to do a remake of Grumpy Old Men in about 10 years, let me present you with the ideal candidate to fill one of the lead roles: Harrison Ford. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Nov 12, 2010
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Megamind (2010) |
Megamind isn't necessarily a bad movie - it just doesn't do much to distinguish itself from the rest of the pack. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Nov 05, 2010
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Conviction (2010) |
Conviction does have enough going for it in the way of acting, directing and editing, but the lack of chemistry and the predictable screenplay make it extremely difficult to connect with the material emotionally. - Watertown Daily Times
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| Posted Oct 29, 2010
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