Peter Hartlaub
Tomatometer-approved critic
Movies reviews only
| Rating | T-Meter | Title | Year | Review |
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Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) |
At some point during one of the best car chase scenes in San Francisco movie history, "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" makes at least one thing gloriously clear: Today, you will be getting your money's worth at the movies. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Aug 23, 2021
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) |
The whole "TMNT" movie is over-inflated; like watching an otherwise tolerable music video, stretched out to 101 minutes. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Mar 20, 2020
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Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) |
Fowler and screenwriters Pat Casey and Josh Miller establish pleasing and slightly offbeat characters, while skewing the world into video game terms, so no one ever seems as if they're in true peril. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Feb 13, 2020
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Abominable (2019) |
"Abominable" features one of the most nuanced and likable young heroines in recent animated feature history. And for a film that often seems to be working off a checklist, it ends up being a memorable time at the movies. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Sep 24, 2019
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Rambo: Last Blood (2019) |
The latest chapter feels like a bad "Rocky" sequel has infected a good "Rambo" movie. And along the way, the makers of "Last Blood" lose track of the thing that draws us to the character. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Sep 20, 2019
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The Goldfinch (2019) |
Watching "The Goldfinch" is like reading a novel where someone ripped out every third page from front to back. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Sep 10, 2019
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It: Chapter Two (2019) |
Even without the cohesive story and Spielberg-ian charms of the first film, the sequel still delivers ample shock and awe. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Sep 04, 2019
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Don't Let Go (2019) |
Oyelowo and Reid have excellent chemistry, as they learn blind faith in each other might be the only way they both survive. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Aug 28, 2019
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Patton Oswalt: Finest Hour (2012) |
Finest Hour shows the comic at the top of his game, equal in humor, energy and originality to the best of his peers. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Aug 01, 2019
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Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) |
It's mostly delightful; a fun movie that successfully hits the reset button for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Jun 27, 2019
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The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019) |
"The Last Black Man" is a strikingly immersive movie, a slow burn filled with subtleties and nuance, with its message nestled in the details as much as the greater story. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Jun 03, 2019
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John Wick: Chapter 3 -- Parabellum (2019) |
It's like combining the anything-can-happen excitement of playing a slot machine, with the grace of a ballet, and the prolonged and escalating violence of a good gladiator battle. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted May 14, 2019
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Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019) |
Despite attempts to cultivate mainstream appeal, the returns are diminishing, especially during the action-heavy and uninspired third act. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted May 07, 2019
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Hellboy (2019) |
At two hours, "Hellboy" feels closer to three. And yet there still seems to be something missing. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Apr 11, 2019
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Jennifer's Body (2009) |
But while the movie is almost always pleasing, it never develops very much momentum. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Mar 28, 2019
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O.G. (2018) |
An A-plus character study, matched with an actor who is more than up for the challenge. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Feb 22, 2019
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Happy Death Day 2U (2019) |
The "Happy Death Day" franchise isn't going to revolutionize filmmaking. But the uplifting vibes - and occasionally absent slasher - haven't come close to overstaying their welcome. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Feb 12, 2019
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What Men Want (2019) |
Ignore any voices in your head telling you not to go see this funny and entertaining film, and be ready for a pleasant surprise. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Feb 07, 2019
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The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part (2019) |
"The Lego Movie" remains one of the most consistently humanizing franchises in the realm of family-friendly movies. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Feb 06, 2019
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Aquaman (2018) |
Another disappointing entry in the DC Comics cinematic universe. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Dec 18, 2018
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Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) |
If this kind of risk-taking and artist-driven creativity can exist in Hollywood's biggest money-making genre, then our superhero movie future is filled with hope. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Dec 05, 2018
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Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle (2018) |
"Mowgli" confirms that hard work and cunning, not good songwriting skills, are the best assets for survival in an increasingly cruel world. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Nov 29, 2018
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Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018) |
"Ralph Breaks the Internet" is almost always inspired in the moment. The story team has a good idea that worked in the first film and gives us more of that, in a much bigger playing field. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Nov 16, 2018
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Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) |
By the time we reach the unsatisfying cliffhanger ending, there's little to look forward to. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Nov 14, 2018
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Dr. Seuss' The Grinch (2018) |
This film is the equivalent of your third or fourth favorite present on any given holiday. It will entertain a few children in the moment, satisfy a few adults who are barely paying attention, then quickly be forgotten. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Nov 08, 2018
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Halloween (2018) |
Curtis makes an all-in return to the Strode character, and the filmmaking team builds a solid framework around her, in the propulsive and entertaining new "Halloween." - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Oct 17, 2018
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Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018) |
Go with modest expectations and a kid who can't wait to see the film and you'll have a pretty good time. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Oct 11, 2018
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Smallfoot (2018) |
It's a chore to get through the beginning, but builds a strong story, and leaves legitimate good feelings on the way out of the theater. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Sep 27, 2018
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The House With a Clock in Its Walls (2018) |
Technically it's a very solid movie, but tonally it has problems, which build with each similarly dark and unsettling scene. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Sep 20, 2018
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The Predator (2018) |
Best of all, Black understands the geography of an action sequence, and the advantage of an R rating. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Sep 12, 2018
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Peppermint (2018) |
It's all very satisfying, in a visceral way, like the feeling you get after finding the housefly that's been buzzing around your head since three in the morning and crushing it with a rolled-up Sporting Green. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Sep 06, 2018
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The Bookshop (2017) |
"The Bookshop" isn't an especially good film, but there's no shortage of good in it. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Aug 30, 2018
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The Happytime Murders (2018) |
Although "The Happytime Murders" isn't much fun to watch, it was clearly a blast to make. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Aug 24, 2018
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Crazy Rich Asians (2018) |
"Crazy Rich Asians" isn't just a good Hollywood movie for the Asian American population, and one that is overdue by about 24 years. It's a good movie, period. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Aug 15, 2018
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Christopher Robin (2018) |
Movies like Christopher Robin don't come around that often any more, and they're good for the soul. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Aug 02, 2018
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Eighth Grade (2018) |
"Eighth Grade" is a beautiful and uncompromising piece of art, from a distinctive new talent. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Jul 19, 2018
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Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018) |
Tartakovsky is a talented visual filmmaker, and "Hotel Transylvania 3" showcases some of the best work of his career. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Jul 12, 2018
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Superfly (2018) |
In the end, it feels as if both Superfly and the audience got their money's worth. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Jun 12, 2018
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Ocean's 8 (2018) |
While the individual moments work, the whole of the movie feels a bit too procedural, and not personal enough. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Jun 07, 2018
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Upgrade (2018) |
Whannell is clearly enjoying writing and directing his own project, and it shows in the finished product. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted May 31, 2018
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Personal Best (1982) |
[Robert] Towne's direction can be frustrating - at one point Donnelly and Hemingway run up a sand dune for what seems like five minutes - but the result is 50 percent more realistic than the average sports film. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted May 30, 2018
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Show Dogs (2018) |
Make a stand to Hollywood and vote with your wallet: We all deserve a better live-action talking-dog movie than this. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted May 17, 2018
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Fahrenheit 451 (2018) |
Fahrenheit 451 rarely feels imminent, even as it aims for a modern truth. Thankfully, the movie is always watchable. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted May 15, 2018
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Overboard (2018) |
As more ethical lines are crossed, and the felonies being committed during the ruse multiply, "Overboard" seems more twisted than funny. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted May 04, 2018
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Ghost Stories (2017) |
The filmmakers trust the audience, and benefit from a trio of excellent performances by the subjects of each story. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Apr 26, 2018
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Midnight Sun (2018) |
With modest production values throughout, "Midnight Sun" feels like four or five episodes of a pretty good drama on the WB network in 1997. In other words, something you used to get for free. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Mar 23, 2018
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The Strangers: Prey at Night (2018) |
The actions of the family in Prey at Night rarely acknowledge logic, and often seem to be deliberately mocking common sense. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Mar 07, 2018
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Early Man (2018) |
There's a sense of innocence and ingenuity and a central wholesomeness that remains throughout the film. "Early Man" is escapist fun. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Feb 14, 2018
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Peter Rabbit (2018) |
When the last stick of dynamite goes off, and the last human is electrocuted, it's hard not to walk away thinking "that movie was so much better than I expected." - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Feb 07, 2018
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Winchester (2018) |
Even the scares, too infrequent for this type of film, have a consistent misdirection that becomes tired and predictable. The ending tries to be thoughtful, but there's not enough investment in these characters to care. - San Francisco Chronicle
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| Posted Feb 02, 2018
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