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Robert Roten

Tomatometer-approved critic
Biography:

After graduating from the University of Oregon with a journalism degree, I wrote for several newspapers in Oregon, Michigan and Wyoming, writing news stories, columns, editorials and movie reviews. I started my movie review web page in 1996. I retired from newspapers in 2000, but continue to write reviews online. I was elected president of the Laramie Film Society in 2000 and continue to serve in that capacity. I am also the webmaster for the Laramie Astronomical Society and Space Observers (LASSO: www.lariat.org/LASSO/index.html).

Publications:
Favorites:

Favorite Movies: Lawrence of Arabia, Casablanca, Dr. Strangelove, Tootsie, Groundhod Day, Citizen Kane

Critics' Group:
Location:

Laramie, Wyoming

Official Website:

http://www.lariat.org/AtTheMovies/index.html

Reviews

Movies TV Shows
Apocalypse in the Tropics (2024) 91% B EDIT “Both Bolsonaro and Trump, and their evangelical followers have put a tremendous strain on the democratic institutions of both Brzazil and the United States. The parallels between the two are troubling.” – Laramie Movie Scope Jan 31, 2026 Full Review Cover-Up (2025) 98% A EDIT “The movie reveals Hersh to be a fascinating character -- a resourceful, relentless pursuer of truth. It is also an exploration of his "process" for developing news stories. Everyone who calls himself a reporter should watch this movie.” – Laramie Movie Scope Jan 31, 2026 Full Review Weapons (2025) 93% B EDIT “This horror film goes from being simply creepy to mysterious to fascinating as it moves along its way towards a surprising conclusion. I felt very uncomfortable watching the first part of this movie because of its creepiness, but then it got interesting.” – Laramie Movie Scope Jan 31, 2026 Full Review Blue Moon (2025) 91% B+ EDIT “This is a movie that is carried mainly by the masterful performance of Ethan Hawke. In fact, it is almost a one man show, but with good supporting performances by Bobby Cannavale, Margaret Qualley, Andrew Scott, Patrick Kennedy and Jonah Lees.” – Laramie Movie Scope Jan 31, 2026 Full Review Bugonia (2025) 88% B EDIT “The kidnapers would have been captured right away, if Fuller had LowJacked her, or if police had followed up on a rather obvious link between Gatz and Fuller's company, but they did not. This is not a believable movie, but it is good, nevertheless.” – Laramie Movie Scope Jan 31, 2026 Full Review Mercy (2026) 24% B EDIT “It is a good whodunit with fine performances by Chris Pratt and Kylie Rogers. The movie is ably directed by Timur Bekmambetov.” – Laramie Movie Scope Jan 31, 2026 Full Review Friendship (2024) 88% C+ EDIT “The overall narrative of the movie, despite the humor, is a relentless downward spiral, and it left me cold.” – Laramie Movie Scope Jan 25, 2026 Full Review The Plague (2025) 97% C EDIT “The psychological damage caused by the cruelty of children can be tragic. This movie effectively demonstrates this cruelty and how not to deal with it. It also demonstrates betrayal of a friendship, and the emotional consequences of that.” – Laramie Movie Scope Jan 25, 2026 Full Review Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025) 92% B+ EDIT “This is a long movie at nearly two and a half hours, but it held my interest throughout because of the mystery and the talented actors who help create such fascinating characters.” – Laramie Movie Scope Jan 24, 2026 Full Review Sorry, Baby (2025) 97% B EDIT “This story about the emotional toll of rape approaches the trauma in an indirect and subtle, but effective, way. The acting is very strong in this movie, headed up by Victor.” – Laramie Movie Scope Jan 24, 2026 Full Review Song Sung Blue (2025) 78% B EDIT “What the movie does well is some well-staged musical numbers. Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson prove to be very capable singers in this movie. While the movie is a downer a lot of the time, the songs are uplifting for the most part.” – Laramie Movie Scope Jan 18, 2026 Full Review Hamnet (2025) 86% A EDIT “This is one of the year's best movies, and is outstanding in all aspects, including costume design. This is a movie about the theater, but it isn't overly self-centered. The story is speculative history, but it is beautiful speculation.” – Laramie Movie Scope Jan 14, 2026 Full Review SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) (2025) 93% B+ EDIT “This is a well-rounded account of the man and his band. It includes some performance footage as well. To me, the music of Sly and the Family Stone is joyful, energetic, exciting music. It is nice to see that music still lives on in many ways.” – Laramie Movie Scope Jan 1, 2026 Full Review The Alabama Solution (2025) 100% A EDIT “From what is documented in this movie, it looks as though there ought to be a special place in hell for people claiming to be Christians who support and defend this prison system.” – Laramie Movie Scope Jan 1, 2026 Full Review 2000 Meters to Andriivka (2025) 94% B EDIT “Most war movies are not realistic, but this one is brutally real because much of it comes from video cameras worn by the Ukrainian soldiers fighting entrenched Russian defenders near the small town of Andriivka in 2023.” – Laramie Movie Scope Jan 1, 2026 Full Review Marty Supreme (2025) 94% B EDIT “Marty is not authentic. Nevertheless, Chalamet gives a great performance, and so does Odessa A'zion, whose character, Rachel Mizler, proves to be a skilled hustler in her own right.” – Laramie Movie Scope Jan 1, 2026 Full Review Little Amélie or the Character of Rain (2025) 98% B EDIT “This Belgian, French, Japanese animated film follows the early development of a child from the perspective of a child better than any movie I can recall.” – Laramie Movie Scope Dec 24, 2025 Full Review Train Dreams (2025) 95% B+ EDIT “This film is like a quiet meditative dream with some fine cinematography by Adolpho Veloso and a fitting song by Nick Cave.” – Laramie Movie Scope Dec 24, 2025 Full Review Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) 66% B EDIT “The story, while not aging well, is good enough, and the visuals, especially in 3D, are spectacular. This movie is a huge spectacle, full of visual imagination and new world building.” – Laramie Movie Scope Dec 24, 2025 Full Review KPop Demon Hunters (2025) 92% B EDIT “This is a perfectly fine animated movie, but it is not really aimed at adults. I can't really relate to it, but it is well made, the animation is first rate and the songs are catchy.” – Laramie Movie Scope Dec 23, 2025 Full Review The Secret Agent (2025) 98% C+ EDIT “Suspense builds in the first three-quarters of the film towards a violent confrontation, but suddenly, the dramatic brakes are applied, and it all ends in an anticlimax, almost like the director ran out of film.” – Laramie Movie Scope Dec 23, 2025 Full Review Sentimental Value (2025) 97% B EDIT “This movie is predictable, but there is an interesting double twist at the end. This is a well-acted movie. There is nothing much wrong with it, but it's appeal is limited because of its narrow, self-absorbed, occupation-focused subject matter.” – Laramie Movie Scope Dec 23, 2025 Full Review The Perfect Neighbor (2025) 99% B+ EDIT “Part of the reason that documentaries have more impact than many fictional films is because of their believability. Because of how this movie is put together from so much raw footage, it has a huge emotional impact.” – Laramie Movie Scope Dec 23, 2025 Full Review Sirāt (2025) 93% B+ EDIT “The sense of doom here comes from the land itself, where there is no water and no shelter from the elements. The vast landscapes make the humans seem tiny and helpless. They are easy prey to the whims of nature, and their own shortsightedness.” – Laramie Movie Scope Dec 23, 2025 Full Review No Other Choice (2025) 97% B+ EDIT “This movie is not just a story about the lengths a man will go to in order to provide for his family, but it also highlights the bleak future of manufacturing jobs in a world where human workers are being replaced by artificial intelligence and robots.” – Laramie Movie Scope Dec 8, 2025 Full Review
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