Jeffrey Bruner
Tomatometer-approved critic
Movies reviews only
| Rating | T-Meter | Title | Year | Review |
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Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic (2005) |
It's all in the timing and Silverman has it %u2014 she's in total control on the stage, keeping audiences off-balance with jokes so outrageous there's barely time to recover before the next one lands. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Dec 09, 2005
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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) |
This almost-epic adventure directed by Andrew Adamson ("Shrek") is nothing to cringe at even if it does have flaws. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Dec 08, 2005
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Yours, Mine & Ours (2005) |
Watching the turkey in the oven would be more entertaining. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Nov 23, 2005
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) |
Hits all the right spots but there's crucial context missing at times that leaves a vastly different impression with those who have followed the films but not read the books. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Nov 23, 2005
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Jarhead (2005) |
Sam Mendes' movie is more about how training for war affects a man than the war itself. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Nov 23, 2005
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Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) |
Infused with so much class and coolness that the movie's political parallels and clever savaging of America's corporate media may slide right past many who see it. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Nov 23, 2005
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Walk the Line (2005) |
If Phoenix makes Cash look like he made a deal with the devil, then Witherspoon convinces you that Carter received training from angels. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Nov 23, 2005
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Capote (2005) |
Quietly dazzles not just as a character study of the immensely complex author but also as a fascinating look at the relationship between a writer and his subject. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Nov 23, 2005
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Rent (2005) |
Get a job for God's sake, people, and bring back some better songs while you're out. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Nov 22, 2005
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Domino (2005) |
This is more than a movie for the MTV generation - it's a two-hour seizure. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Oct 14, 2005
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The Man (2005) |
A clever idea that wears thin long before the movie ends. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Oct 07, 2005
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The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) |
Of all the places one would expect to find Satan - Osama bin Laden's cave, backstage with Celine Dion or inside Wal-Mart - a Midwestern courtroom is not high on the list. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Oct 07, 2005
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Thumbsucker (2005) |
A slow, deliberative but interesting trip into our overstimulated and overmedicated society through the eyes of a teenage slacker who can't stop sucking his thumb. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Oct 07, 2005
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The Constant Gardener (2005) |
A spectacular oasis in a desert of summer disappointment, The Constant Gardener blooms with a tragic, bittersweet beauty that should make it an early Oscar contender. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Aug 31, 2005
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Four Brothers (2005) |
John Singleton gets a slow burn going in his inner-city Western Four Brothers but then the movie fizzles into something generic and disappointing. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Aug 12, 2005
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The Great Raid (2005) |
What makes The Great Raid so disappointing is that the heroic moment it depicts deserves so much more. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Aug 12, 2005
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Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (2005) |
Note to Adam Sandler, who co-produced this film: Enough already. For the sake of future generations of moviegoers, we beg you to stop getting movies made for your friend. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Aug 12, 2005
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Villisca: Living With a Mystery (2004) |
A respectful approach to Iowa's most notorious crime. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Aug 09, 2005
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Stealth (2005) |
I know I'm your agent, babe, but I gotta come clean with you - maybe picking Stealth as your first movie after Ray wasn't a very good idea. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Jul 29, 2005
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Bewitched (2005) |
Bewitched doesn't cast a spell over audiences but stars Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell have enough magic between them to create something simple and fun. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Jul 26, 2005
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Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005) |
Like a Dodge K-car with 350,000 miles and a good engine - it gets you from Point A to Point B but the ride isn't much fun. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Jul 26, 2005
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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) |
An intoxicating confection worthy of the children's classic written by Roald Dahl. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Jul 26, 2005
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Wedding Crashers (2005) |
If this had wrapped at 90 minutes, it would have been perfect. Instead, the film is saddled with a romantic comedy that fits it like cement overshoes. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Jul 26, 2005
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March of the Penguins (2005) |
Fathers of Iowa, don't take this too personally but you pale in comparison to the emperor penguins of Antarctica. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Jul 26, 2005
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Smile (2005) |
Feels like a school project that has its heart in the right place if not the skills to produce something with depth and emotional heft. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Jul 26, 2005
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Hustle & Flow (2005) |
Vibrates with a grit and rawness that lets it rise above expectations. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Jul 26, 2005
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War of the Worlds (2005) |
Make E.T. a bad dude whose momma never loved him and we're talking real scorched-earth policy here ... These guys are dividers, not uniters. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Jun 29, 2005
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Walk on Water (2004) |
An ambitious film, wrapped inside the package of a thriller, that delivers on most - if not all - of its lofty aspirations. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Jun 17, 2005
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Batman Begins (2005) |
Christopher Nolan's reinvention of the Dark Knight gives this fabled franchise a sturdy, stylish structure that should last for years. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Jun 17, 2005
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The Honeymooners (2005) |
How sweet it is? Uh, no. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Jun 10, 2005
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Lords of Dogtown (2005) |
Skate all day, party all night. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Yawn. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Jun 03, 2005
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The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005) |
The string of coincidences, predictable endings and manipulation are there for your absorption don't ask me to overlook it... Yet there's something genuine in the performances, particularly for Tamblyn and Bledel. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Jun 03, 2005
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The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (2004) |
A precious gem of a film. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted May 27, 2005
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The Longest Yard (2005) |
Sets a record of some sort for Meaningless Celebrity Cameos. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted May 27, 2005
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Madagascar (2005) |
A pop culture headache. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted May 27, 2005
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Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith (2005) |
Too bad George Lucas was trying to write a tragedy and not a farce. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted May 19, 2005
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Millions (2004) |
A modern fairy tale with imagination that dazzles kids and adult alike. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Apr 29, 2005
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In the Realms of the Unreal (2004) |
Fails to shed much light on this odd, reclusive man or his art. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Apr 15, 2005
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Gunner Palace (2004) |
A brief peek into a chaotic world but devoid of the context needed to appreciate these soldiers' sacrifice. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Apr 15, 2005
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Off the Map (2003) |
Meandering and quirky, it's a pensive meditation with stunning cinematography by Juan Ruiz Ancha, who has brilliantly captured the endless blue skies that inspire so many. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Apr 08, 2005
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Sahara (2005) |
Sahara falls into quicksand and quickly disappears into the abyss that can only be described as Movie Hell. Only one word can describe this thing, baby: Craptacular. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Apr 08, 2005
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Fever Pitch (2005) |
Fever Pitch is lovable enough that it legs out an infield single almost in spite of its two leads, Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Apr 08, 2005
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Lightning in a Bottle (2004) |
Lightning in a Bottle is a feel-good film, ironically, for fans of the blues and a solid primer for newcomers to the sound. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Mar 25, 2005
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Steamboy (2004) |
Character development and story line, unfortunately, evaporated during the decade of this film's production. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Mar 25, 2005
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Downfall (2004) |
Bruno Ganz's extraordinary performance as Adolph Hitler makes Downfall a riveting experience. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Mar 25, 2005
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Guess Who (2005) |
A funny, if sometimes uneven (and uncomfortable) comedy. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Mar 25, 2005
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Bride & Prejudice (2004) |
A colorful, high-energy musical that sizzles in this East-meets-West clash of cultures. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Mar 11, 2005
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The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2004) |
Even with three top-flight actors, The Assassination of Richard Nixon never becomes much more than a character study of a footnote in American history. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Mar 11, 2005
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Robots (2005) |
Robots is packed with so many funny cultural references and movie tributes you'll forgive the thin plot that starts to squeak slightly in its final third. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Mar 11, 2005
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Because of Winn-Dixie (2005) |
Sure, there's nothing here that hasn't already been covered in a Hallmark movie, but it's still refreshing to find a well-made, enjoyable film for families. - Des Moines Register
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| Posted Feb 18, 2005
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