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D
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The Story of Us
(1999)
|
Christopher Smith
|
It features two bitter, bickering stereotypes who are meant to represent a realistic married couple, but they don't. Not once.
Posted Apr 07, 2020
|
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B
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Bridesmaids
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
"Bridesmaids" is a great first step for Apatow in finding his feminine voice, and an even better launching pad for the hilarious Kristin Wiig.
Posted May 14, 2011
|
|
D
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Priest
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
If you have an action movie that doesn't have enough loud, wham-bam, explosive fun to wake a sleeping baby, which was the case at my screening, then you, my friend, have an action movie not worth seeing.
Posted May 14, 2011
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C
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Something Borrowed
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
The film relies on a singular idea-deciding whether to hurt a friend for the sake of true happiness. It's a premise that runs out of steam halfway through, but not before repeating its point over and over. More like "Something to Throw Away."
Posted May 07, 2011
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B+
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Thor
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
With a director this interested in making every shot exciting, it should come as no surprise that his film is just that.
Posted May 07, 2011
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|
D+
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Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
The very nature of animation is to appear lively, and if that's the case, "Hoodwinked Too" fails at almost every turn.
Posted Apr 29, 2011
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|
B-
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Fast Five
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
The film's plot rarely makes sense and the script is lackluster, but who cares when each chase is composed of the right amount of speed and clarity? Lin never puts his foot on the break until the last possible second.
Posted Apr 29, 2011
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|
B
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Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
There is a scene in the movie that is so visceral, it will make you forget about the high-flying silliness. That's the Donnie Yen I was waiting to see.
Posted Apr 23, 2011
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|
D
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Tyler Perry's Madea's Big Happy Family
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
"Madea's Big Happy Family" is an assault on the senses. I'm still trying to figure out how "Afternoont" and a pancreatic tumor equate in humor, but, hey, maybe Perry's a pioneer of comedy, too.
Posted Apr 22, 2011
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|
C+
|
Water for Elephants
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
The director puts on a beautiful spectacle. However, while the film looks fantastic, its stars lack the connection needed to make this circus a true marvel.
Posted Apr 22, 2011
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B+
|
Insidious
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
For scares alone, "Insidious" deserves an "A." It may not be very original, but for a fun trip through a haunted house, it works exceedingly well.
Posted Apr 02, 2011
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|
D+
|
Hop
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
Like the colorful candies of Easter, "Hop" is a pastel distraction lacking any kind nutritional value. Inside its foil wrapping exists an endless array of predictable jokes, aimless subplots and obnoxious characters. It's a disaster.
Posted Apr 02, 2011
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|
A-
|
Source Code
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
A well-paced and structured sci-fi thriller that's as complex as it is clear-headed.
Posted Apr 02, 2011
|
|
D+
|
Beastly
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
"Beastly" is a poor representation of its source material and creates a monster out of it its inherent themes.
Posted Mar 19, 2011
|
|
D
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Mars Needs Moms
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
"Mars Needs Moms" is only consistent in that it's a mess.
Posted Mar 19, 2011
|
|
B-
|
The Adjustment Bureau
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
Damon and Blunt are great--it's just a shame they don't have a stronger adversary for their love.
Posted Mar 19, 2011
|
|
D
|
Red Riding Hood
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
Against the phony sets and effects, Valerie's world seems more like a cheap stage rather than a realistic fantasy world, making the film's own flaws and missed opportunities clear as day even in the dark of night.
Posted Mar 19, 2011
|
|
B+
|
Rango
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
"Rango" has everything going for it -- strong characters, complex plotting, and a knowledge of the genre it parodies without excluding newcomers to it. It's smart without being alienating and exciting without being mindless.
Posted Mar 19, 2011
|
|
C+
|
Battle: Los Angeles
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
If the recent slew of apocalyptic invasion pictures teaches us one thing, it's that they make better trailers than movies. This is a case in point.
Posted Mar 19, 2011
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|
B+
|
The Lincoln Lawyer
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
McConaughey's confidence fits like a glove--it's the role he's been waiting for, and coupled against Philippe's easy-to-hate playboy and a great supporting cast, the film turns out to be one of this season's better movies.
Posted Mar 19, 2011
|
|
B
|
Limitless
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
"Limitless" delivers the goods in terms of fun, suspense, and an above-average story. The twists and turns never appear without reason, and Cooper delivers an assured, charismatic performance that lifts the film.
Posted Mar 19, 2011
|
|
B
|
Paul
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
"Paul" might not connect with everyone, but it's certainly funny and heartfelt enough to please those brave enough to see it. It seems destined for a cult following rather than a legion of converted geeks.
Posted Mar 19, 2011
|
|
D
|
The Resident
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
If all is right in the universe, the only good that will come out of "The Resident" is the murder of its director's career before it even starts.
Posted Feb 11, 2011
|
|
C
|
Sanctum
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
James Cameron produced "Sanctum" to create a similar experience to "Avatar." But where as the world of Pandora benefitted from the immersive qualities of Imax 3-D, "Sanctum" only occasionally uses the screen's size properly.
Posted Feb 05, 2011
|
|
D+
|
The Roommate
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
It explores that roommates can be, you know, like a total drag sometimes.
Posted Feb 05, 2011
|
|
C+
|
No Strings Attached
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
The hilarious supporting players keep things moving when the director stumbles, but "No Strings Attached" lacks the emotional core that would have made it memorable.
Posted Jan 30, 2011
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|
B+
|
The Company Men
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
In the wrong hands, "The Company Men" could have slipped into a slop of sentiment, but the movie doesn't go there. This is, first and foremost, a movie about "men," and what, in Wells' eyes, it means to be a man in these difficult times.
Posted Jan 30, 2011
|
|
B+
|
The Way Back
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
Rife with uncertainty and realism, Weir's film is a stunning testament to human fortitude and to the power of Mother Nature.
Posted Jan 30, 2011
|
|
B
|
The Mechanic
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
Check your brain at the door and enjoy.
Posted Jan 30, 2011
|
|
D
|
The Rite
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
"The Rite" aims for authenticity but is nothing more than a cartoon. The film is rife with poorly executed genre clichés and bad acting, alienating the viewer from the picture--and putting them into a coma.
Posted Jan 30, 2011
|
|
A-
|
Black Swan
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
You've never seen a movie quite like "Black Swan" before. It's brazen, it's ridiculous, it's magnificent, it's human, it's unique, it's the world at its worst, it's the worst at its best - and this is why it's so weirdly compelling.
Posted Jan 07, 2011
|
|
C
|
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
Their joyous return to Narnia washes away as their comfort in the face of the fantastic sets in. Nothing appears new to them, and likewise, nothing enchants us.
Posted Jan 07, 2011
|
|
D+
|
Yogi Bear
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
Yogi's picnic gag is funny in small doses but, much like his Chipmunk brethren, inflating these simple pleasures into a feature-length movie is disastrous.
Posted Jan 07, 2011
|
|
D+
|
How Do You Know
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
This neurotic comedy tiptoes from one boring setback to the next, bottling its issues in schmaltz, and thus, costing the film its heart.
Posted Jan 07, 2011
|
|
A
|
The Fighter
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
Most of the drama takes place outside of the ring, where lives are on the line, a family is divided and one of the year's best movies is found.
Posted Jan 07, 2011
|
|
D
|
Little Fockers
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
A mapped minefield of bad jokes.
Posted Jan 07, 2011
|
|
C
|
Gulliver's Travels
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
Jack Black's abridged version of Jonathan Swift's famed epic fairs slightly better than other recent family adaptations. It's silly and occasionally funny -- not bad for a movie starring a guy who saves an entire city with his urine.
Posted Jan 07, 2011
|
|
A-
|
Rabbit Hole
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
With so many tricky undercurrents to manage, "Rabbit Hole" could have caved beneath their weight and gone into safe, predictable directions that would have been easier to navigate. But it doesn't. It's more complex than that.
Posted Jan 07, 2011
|
|
F
|
Season of the Witch
(2011)
|
Christopher Smith
|
Because this is the first release of 2011, it would too be easy to crown "Season of the Witch" the worst film of the year, but I'm sure it will live up to that title for weeks to come.
Posted Jan 07, 2011
|
|
B
|
Tron: Legacy
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
Like the original movie, "Tron: Legacy" was made to push the boundaries of technology in cinema. It succeeds. The film is a special effects spectacle to behold.
Posted Dec 17, 2010
|
|
D+
|
Love & Other Drugs
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
If distilled, there are enough stories here to make for at least one interesting movie. "Love & Other Drugs" just needs a dose of Ritalin to figure out what that movie is.
Posted Nov 27, 2010
|
|
A-
|
Tangled
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
This is a testament to the power of 3D when mastered--and not rushed. "Tangled" is animation at its best and it's this season's biggest surprise--it treats its audience with intelligence while giving them a jolt of fun.
Posted Nov 27, 2010
|
|
A-
|
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
The actors possess their best chemistry yet (as well they should--they've practically shared each other's Pablum), and the chemistry shows. You now can fully feel just how high the stakes have become.
Posted Nov 27, 2010
|
|
C+
|
Megamind
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
What begins as one witty, unstoppable blast eventually succumbs to a flat story elevated by its consistently terrific animation.
Posted Nov 06, 2010
|
|
C-
|
For Colored Girls
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
Once again, favoring melodrama over reality, Perry overextends his bounds and delivers a poorly filmed series of worst-case scenarios elevated to tolerable heights by a fantastic cast.
Posted Nov 06, 2010
|
|
C
|
Due Date
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
Good performances, but where the film falters is in its inability to deliver the laughs.
Posted Nov 06, 2010
|
|
C-
|
Life as We Know It
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
The film should end a half-hour earlier than it does, but I guess we needed another film in which someone brings their disruptive kid to work or another scene where a desperate lover rushes through an airport.
Posted Oct 30, 2010
|
|
C+
|
Hereafter
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
In the film's far-reaching goals, "Hereafter" fails to connect its meticulous plotting together, leaving the second hour unnecessarily tedious and overtly detached from the audience.
Posted Oct 30, 2010
|
|
A-
|
Paranormal Activity 2
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
This excellent prequel once again proves that in a horror movie, often the less you see, the more intense the story.
Posted Oct 30, 2010
|
|
D+
|
Saw: The Final Chapter
(2010)
|
Christopher Smith
|
With all the money this series has behind it, couldn't the studio have hired a director and writers who had the ability to set a little mood? Make at least something of an effort? Obviously, not.
Posted Oct 30, 2010
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