Phelim O'Neill
Phelim O'Neill's reviews only count toward the Tomatometer® when published at the following Tomatometer-approved publication(s):
Guardian
Movies reviews only
| Rating | T-Meter | Title | Year | Review |
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Bodyguard (2011) |
Here the fight and stunt sequences are afforded as much care and attention as the song and dance scenes; it's all top-notch stuff. - Guardian
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| Posted Mar 21, 2023
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My Name Is Khan (2010) |
[A] well-intentioned, slickly constructed and just plain likable film. - Guardian
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| Posted May 26, 2015
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Tower Block (2012) |
It's not a bad idea for a movie, but what we get is undercooked, with poor logic and even poorer pacing conspiring to prevent any much-needed tension to build. - Guardian
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| Posted Sep 20, 2012
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Now Is Good (2012) |
This teen cancer drama never really rises above being a collection of cliches, despite some decent performances. - Guardian
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| Posted Sep 20, 2012
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The Snows of Kilimanjaro (2011) |
It's made with a sure and steady hand that never takes shortcuts with its important message. - Guardian
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| Posted Sep 13, 2012
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Queen: Live in Budapest (1987) |
This is a band who lived to be on stage, and this is the best document I've seen of that experience. - Guardian
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| Posted Sep 13, 2012
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Twenty8k (2012) |
There's a good cast here, but it's hard to shake off the feeling that this would probably work better on TV, the subject matter being very familiar to those who like their drama delivered in episodes. - Guardian
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| Posted Sep 06, 2012
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St George's Day (2012) |
The script becomes clumsier and cornier as it goes on, and Harper's direction, while competent, lacks the skill to disguise his many attempts to wrongfoot the viewer. - Guardian
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| Posted Sep 06, 2012
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Dredd (2012) |
In a world of compromised adaptations, Dredd is something of a triumph. - Guardian
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| Posted Sep 06, 2012
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A Few Best Men (2011) |
What must have seemed at some point in production to be charming and hilarious arrives on screen as neither of those things. - Guardian
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| Posted Aug 30, 2012
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Cockneys vs Zombies (2012) |
Like Snakes on a Plane, this is a film that seems content to sit back and let the title do all the work - the flat direction does little to imbue the proceedings with any feeling of tension or surprise. - Guardian
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| Posted Aug 30, 2012
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Samsara (2011) |
It may be just more of the same from Fricke, but with his unique process, another incredible-looking lap around the world is more than welcome. - Guardian
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| Posted Aug 30, 2012
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Little Nicholas (2009) |
It presents a gently humorous, beautifully shot idyllic version of childhood, all blue skies, good manners and not a hair out of place. It's a nice place to visit for the duration. - Guardian
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| Posted Aug 24, 2012
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The Three Stooges (2012) |
It shows that what made the Stooges work all those years ago, though hardly in vogue, still works today. - Guardian
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| Posted Aug 23, 2012
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Keith Lemon: The Film (2012) |
Full of cameos from everyone you'd expect, all of whom appear wooden and uncomfortable, as if they've finally realised the terrible place their unquenchable thirst for self-publicity has landed them. - Guardian
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| Posted Aug 23, 2012
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Your Sister's Sister (2011) |
Much makes the viewer feel they're a fly on the wall, albeit a fly who has difficulty holding the camera steady or staying in focus. - Guardian
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| Posted Jun 28, 2012
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Red Tails (2012) |
The true story of the Tuskegee Airmen, a squadron of African-American second world war flying aces, is one of those amazing tales that you just couldn't make up. - Guardian
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| Posted Jun 07, 2012
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House of My Father (2012) |
It's all a little undercooked, playing more like an extended version of a very funny trailer than an actual, full-bodied comedy. - Guardian
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| Posted Jun 07, 2012
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The Assault (2010) |
The kind of serious, adult action movie that the US and UK struggle to make. - Guardian
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| Posted Apr 19, 2012
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The Divide (2011) |
No one has any goals other than to be the most annoying person in the room and there's plenty of competition in that department. It's a waste of a good setup as the situation and location are well drawn. - Guardian
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| Posted Apr 19, 2012
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The Gospel of Us (2012) |
[McKean] keeps things visually interesting and exciting, overlaying images and using the occasional separately filmed segment. - Guardian
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| Posted Apr 12, 2012
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The Thing (2011) |
Whatever good intentions were behind this prequel to John Carpenter's 1982 classic, the sloppy execution renders them moot. - Guardian
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| Posted Dec 01, 2011
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Tucker & Dale vs Evil (2010) |
As with most single-joke movies the plot runs out of steam, but it's still a fun and memorable ride. - Guardian
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| Posted Sep 22, 2011
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The Dead (2010) |
The low-budget zombie movie market may have long since reached saturation point, but this one displays some talent, style, intelligence and imagination, proving that in the right hands there's still plenty of life in the genre yet. - Guardian
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| Posted Sep 01, 2011
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World of the Dead: The Zombie Diaries 2 (2011) |
The can-do spirit results in one or two scenes where it all comes together, and make this perhaps a notch or two up from actually reading a diary written by a zombie. - Guardian
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| Posted Jun 23, 2011
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Akira (1988) |
Style and substance run neck and neck in this thrilling, bold landmark film that just refuses to become dated. - Guardian
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| Posted Jun 23, 2011
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Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (2011) |
Funnier and faster than its charming predecessor. - Guardian
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| Posted May 26, 2011
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Third Star (2010) |
The characters aren't particularly likable or clever, but their chemistry is convincing and it's well performed. - Guardian
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| Posted May 19, 2011
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Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Super Fusion! Bonds That Transcend Time (2010) |
For anyone whose age has reached double figures, it'll be hard to see this as anything other than a shouty, tacky advert for things you'll never buy. - Guardian
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| Posted May 12, 2011
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Risen (2008) |
Unfortunately the film doesn't quite get to grips with it on anything other than a superficial level, seemingly too charmed by the polite, respectful lead character to get down and dirty with any bigger issues, so punches are pulled in the drama. - Guardian
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| Posted May 12, 2011
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The Way (2010) |
On the whole, it's a well-intentioned and nicely performed piece. - Guardian
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| Posted May 12, 2011
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The Loved Ones (2009) |
Thanks to McLeavy's incredible performance as the childish, spoiled and evil Lola, no matter how horrible things get, you just cannot take your eyes away from the screen. - Guardian
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| Posted May 09, 2011
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Forget Me Not (2010) |
Access to a little more time and money would have solved one or two problems, but there's a rough-hewn charm and clumsiness here that's invigorating. - Guardian
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| Posted May 05, 2011
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Flying Monsters (2010) |
It wasn't all that long ago that this sort of short, lightly scientific, flashy documentary was pretty much all you could see at Imax cinemas. Now they are used fill up the gaps between the likes of Sucker Punch and Avatar. - Guardian
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| Posted May 05, 2011
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The Veteran (2011) |
It's a thinly populated drama, full of sketchy, unconvincing characters... - Guardian
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| Posted Apr 28, 2011
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Shadow (2009) |
Just when you're settled into thinking you're watching another survival horror, there's a massive and quite bold change in direction and all bets are off. - Guardian
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| Posted Apr 28, 2011
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I Saw the Devil (2010) |
There's no shortage of Korean revenge-thrillers, but this, along with the recent The Man from Nowhere, proves there is plenty of life left in the genre. - Guardian
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| Posted Apr 28, 2011
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Dum Maaro Dum (2011) |
It's made to high technical standards with plenty of stylish transitions and impressive location work, and its message just about makes it through all the songs and stylised drama intact. - Guardian
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| Posted Apr 28, 2011
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Scream 4 (2011) |
Scream 4 is not without enjoyment. It's good to see familiar characters back and the opening moments are quite spirited. But it's a film about horror films without being a horror film itself. - Guardian
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| Posted Apr 14, 2011
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Anuvahood (2011) |
It's really just a torrent of age-old gags and clumsy, pointless situations dressed up with street slang. - Guardian
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| Posted Mar 17, 2011
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The Ward (2010) |
A well-made film, with some finely crafted shocks and a steady pace that almost seems stately in these days of fast-cut horror. - Guardian
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| Posted Jan 20, 2011
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For Colored Girls (2010) |
Perry crafts poorly paced soap opera, playing out in the most obvious and crass manner possible the situations that the poems subtly dance around. Shange's original text... - Guardian
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| Posted Dec 09, 2010
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Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey (2010) |
Beautifully shot, it manages to hit hard even under the restrictions of Indian cinema. - Guardian
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| Posted Dec 02, 2010
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Freight (2010) |
Some of the stunts and fights aren't too bad, but almost everything else is. - Guardian
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| Posted Oct 07, 2010
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Takers (2010) |
Wall-to-wall music, glossy handheld camerawork and frantic editing all conspire to try and make this seem a lot more exciting than the relentlessly unimaginitive script deserves. - Guardian
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| Posted Sep 30, 2010
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Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010) |
The films always look good and have well-staged action, but they don't have one iota of originality or imagination -- to the extent of virtually recreating key scenes from The Matrix, Die Hard and The Descent. - Guardian
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| Posted Sep 09, 2010
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Splintered (2010) |
You just can't wait for them to get killed off quickly enough. - Guardian
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| Posted Sep 02, 2010
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Jonah Hex (2010) |
It just gets louder and more nonsensical as it progresses, with Fox shoe-horned into as many scenes as possible. - Guardian
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| Posted Sep 02, 2010
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The Last Exorcism (2010) |
Stamm effectively crafts a dozen or so marvellously creepy moments. Audience faith in the existence of decent horror films is reaffirmed. - Guardian
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| Posted Sep 02, 2010
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Marmaduke (2010) |
Fans of the single-panel cartoon that has run in newspapers since the 1950s will find plenty to disappoint them in this live-action adaptation. - Guardian
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| Posted Aug 20, 2010
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