|
7/10
|
Chris Rock: Kill the Messenger
(2008)
|
Laura Burrows
|
Whether or not you find this near robotic recitation a good thing or a bad thing for a comic is up to you, but his sheer focus on timing could put any musician to shame.
Posted Jul 31, 2019
|
|
7.5/10
|
A Monster Calls
(2016)
|
Chris Tilly
|
It bravely tackles a difficult subject with grace and sensitivity, and its message is deeply moving and affecting.
Posted Oct 19, 2016
|
|
7.4/10
|
Fury
(2014)
|
Chris Tilly
|
Fury is filled with great scenes that hammer home the bravery of such men, and the tragedy of their situation.
Posted Oct 14, 2014
|
|
9.2/10
|
Filth
(2013)
|
Chris Tilly
|
If you aren't squeamish, Filth is a marvelously messed up festive flick that manages to be shocking, hilarious and ultimately quite poignant.
Posted Oct 23, 2013
|
|
8.5/10
|
You're Next
(2011)
|
Chris Tilly
|
A film made by people who clearly love the genre and have skillfully taken a simple premise and infused it with laughs and scares to craft what may be the most downright entertaining horror film of the year.
Posted Aug 20, 2013
|
|
5.5/10
|
Red Dawn
(2012)
|
Chris Tilly
|
The Red Dawn remake has sat on the shelf for two years, and maybe it should have stayed there.
Posted Nov 20, 2012
|
|
4.5/10
|
Silent Hill: Revelation
(2012)
|
Chris Tilly
|
Silent Hill Revelation 3D is an inferior sequel in every way, shape and form, a horror sequel that fails to either intrigue or scare, and one that just might have killed the franchise cold-dead.
Posted Oct 26, 2012
|
|
|
Paranormal Activity 4
(2012)
|
Chris Tilly
|
The film does deliver on scares, and at a time when so few Hollywood horrors succeed on that front, we should grateful for the consistency of the Paranormal Activity films.
Posted Sep 27, 2012
|
|
4/5
|
Sinister
(2012)
|
Chris Tilly
|
While Sinister is hardly a game-changer, it is an extremely effective horror feature; one that creates its own highly original mythology, and wholeheartedly terrifies from start-to-finish.
Posted Mar 13, 2012
|
|
4/5
|
21 Jump Street
(2012)
|
Chris Tilly
|
A smart and immensely entertaining comedy that announces the somewhat surprising arrival of a serious comic talent in the shape of Channing Tatum.
Posted Mar 06, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
Goon
(2011)
|
Chris Tilly
|
Goon is a surprise on pretty much all fronts, following the story beats you'd expect of a film of this genre, yet delivering them in an enjoyably unusual and offbeat manner.
Posted Feb 24, 2012
|
|
3/5
|
The Adventures of Tintin
(2011)
|
Chris Tilly
|
While this may not be the perfect Tintin adaptation, it's nevertheless an entertaining one; a film that honours the charm and spirit of the books, and one that should please fans and newcomers alike.
Posted Oct 18, 2011
|
|
4/5
|
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
(2011)
|
Chris Tilly
|
It's with a heavy heart that we say good-bye to Harry Potter, but in crafting what may well be the best blockbuster of the season, the boy wizard has gone out with a suitably spellbinding bang, and one that will leave a lasting impression on cinemagoers.
Posted Jul 12, 2011
|
|
3/5
|
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
(2010)
|
Chris Tilly
|
While it's by no means a bad Harry Potter movie, the overriding feeling is that it's an incomplete one. Here's hoping that Yates and his team put that right next summer.
Posted Nov 11, 2010
|
|
4/5
|
Red
(2010)
|
Chris Tilly
|
Red is long, predictable, derivative, and without doubt one of the most entertaining experiences to be had in a cinema this year.
Posted Oct 04, 2010
|
|
3.5/5
|
Predators
(2010)
|
Chris Tilly
|
Let's be honest: you see a Predator movie for the bone-crunching battles between alien and man, and on that front, Antal's film delivers in spades, with blood spilled, spines split and heads separated from bodies at regular intervals.
Posted Jul 08, 2010
|
|
3/5
|
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
(2010)
|
Chris Tilly
|
While it's beautifully shot, well performed and undoubtedly fun to watch, it all feels somewhat soulless; calculated to tick every blockbuster box rather than to create something new and original.
Posted May 20, 2010
|
|
3/5
|
Centurion
(2010)
|
Anna Smith
|
It's good to see Marshall taking on another genre, and he certainly doesn't disgrace himself: Centurion could have a certain cult appeal, a bit like his apocalyptic oddity Doomsday.
Posted Apr 22, 2010
|
|
2/5
|
Cemetery Junction
(2010)
|
Chris Tilly
|
This tale has been told so many times that it demands a spark of invention or originality to spice things up, but Cemetery Junction sticks slavishly to story conventions, with nothing new or imaginative to say about the subject.
Posted Apr 15, 2010
|
|
3.5/5
|
Clash of the Titans
(2010)
|
Chris Tilly
|
It's loud, brash, brutal stuff on a scale hitherto unseen onscreen...
Posted Apr 01, 2010
|
|
3/5
|
MacGruber
(2010)
|
Chris Tilly
|
When the film is funny, it's very funny.
Posted Mar 22, 2010
|
|
5/5
|
Kick-Ass
(2010)
|
Chris Tilly
|
You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll squeal in delight at the outrageous behaviour of a little girl in a purple cape. But most of all, you'll wish that all superhero movies were like this.
Posted Mar 15, 2010
|
|
3.5/5
|
Green Zone
(2010)
|
Orlando Parfitt
|
You feel as though you were there.
Posted Mar 15, 2010
|
|
2/5
|
Alice in Wonderland
(2010)
|
Chris Tilly
|
Suffering from a severe deficiency of wonder, this Alice is by turns loud, lifeless and lacklustre, and so what should have been the perfect marriage of moviemaker and material instead does justice to neither.
Posted Mar 02, 2010
|
|
3.5/5
|
Daybreakers
(2009)
|
Chris Tilly
|
A gripping feature that is just as likely to provoke thought as it is fear.
Posted Jan 08, 2010
|
|
3.5/5
|
Sherlock Holmes
(2009)
|
Chris Tilly
|
Sherlock Holmes is never less than entertaining throughout however, and the marvellous chemistry between the leads practically demands a sequel.
Posted Jan 05, 2010
|
|
4.5/5
|
Avatar
(2009)
|
Orlando Parfitt
|
One of the most exhilarating, barmy and eye-wateringly gorgeous movies of the decade.
Posted Dec 11, 2009
|
|
2/5
|
2012
(2009)
|
Chris Tilly
|
It feels about 2012 minutes too long, a bloated epic that outstays its welcome long before the credits have rolled.
Posted Nov 13, 2009
|
|
3/5
|
Disney's A Christmas Carol
(2009)
|
Orlando Parfitt
|
Zemeckis has succeeded is transforming a staid and over-familiar story into a rip-roaring and viscerally powerful special effects chase-movie.
Posted Nov 06, 2009
|
|
3/5
|
Michael Jackson's This Is It
(2009)
|
Orlando Parfitt
|
Die-hard supporters of Jackson will find much to admire in This Is It, however non MJ fans may find the movie's inability to reach beneath the surface of the singer unsatisfying, as well as troubled by the slightly grubby genesis of the movie.
Posted Oct 28, 2009
|
|
2.5
|
Fantastic Mr. Fox
(2009)
|
Chris Tilly
|
Dahl aficionados will be disappointed at the Americanisation of it all, while Anderson fans will doubtless grow tired of the predictable nature of proceedings.
Posted Oct 23, 2009
|
|
1/5
|
Whiteout
(2009)
|
Chris Tilly
|
The sub-standard work from everyone involved means that Whiteout is very much a missed opportunity that undoubtedly would have been better left on the comic book page.
Posted Sep 11, 2009
|
|
4/5
|
District 9
(2009)
|
Orlando Parfitt
|
A highly admirable sci-fi flick that crackles with wit, invention, imagination and ingenuity.
Posted Sep 03, 2009
|
|
3/5
|
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
(2009)
|
Chris Tilly
|
In spite of many misgivings, including ropey CGI, convoluted storytelling and a smattering of horribly over-the-top performances, G.I. Joe is a blast from start-to-finish.
Posted Aug 04, 2009
|
|
4/5
|
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
(2009)
|
Chris Tilly
|
It doesn't reach the magical heights of Alfonso Cuaron's truly spellbinding Prisoner of Azkaban, but Yates is fast approaching that territory, which bodes well for his helming of the final instalments.
Posted Jul 10, 2009
|
|
4/5
|
Brüno
(2009)
|
Chris Tilly
|
May be the funniest film of the year thus far, but it doesn't come close to reaching the comedic heights of his previous effort, Borat.
Posted Jul 07, 2009
|
|
4.5/5
|
Public Enemies
(2009)
|
Orlando Parfitt
|
It's refreshing to see some grown-up mainstream filmmaking during the summer months. The film shows you can have star-driven action films that also deliver an emotional and visceral punch in the heart of blockbuster season.
Posted Jun 26, 2009
|
|
3/5
|
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
(2009)
|
Orlando Parfitt
|
It was clearly the director's intention to paint Revenge of the Fallen on an epic canvas. It's more of the same - a lot more.
Posted Jun 15, 2009
|
|
2/5
|
Terminator Salvation
(2009)
|
Orlando Parfitt
|
Stylish but shallow, action-packed but without ever being exciting, Terminator Salvation is a movie that looked amazing as a trailer, but doesn't stand up as a 115 minute film.
Posted Jun 01, 2009
|
|
2/5
|
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
(2009)
|
Chris Tilly
|
With clumsy dialogue, poor plotting and some downright terrible performances, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a huge disappointment for any fan of Terry Gilliam's work.
Posted May 22, 2009
|
|
3.5/5
|
Inglourious Basterds
(2009)
|
Chris Tilly
|
An entertaining yet uneven movie that provides comedy, drama and some interesting psychological twists and turns, but never quite delivers on that 'men on a mission' promise.
Posted May 20, 2009
|
|
4/5
|
Taking Woodstock
(2009)
|
Joe Utichi
|
It may not be on a par with Brokeback, nor as powerful as Lust, Caution, but Taking Woodstock is another triumph for Ang Lee, a director whose resume gets more and more diverse with every project he tackles.
Posted May 18, 2009
|
|
2/5
|
Angels & Demons
(2009)
|
Tom Hawker
|
With such guiltily enjoyable hokum as a Dan Brown page-turner, you wonder what would have happened if someone actually had fun with it and, maybe, let us have some too. By treating trash as art, they've really taken the thrill out of this thriller.
Posted May 15, 2009
|
|
3.5/5
|
Thirst
(2009)
|
Joe Utichi
|
Thirst may not be the greatest vampire movie ever made, but Park's willingness to try something different makes it a decidedly fresh take on the genre.
Posted May 15, 2009
|
|
4/5
|
Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation
(1989)
|
Chris Tilly
|
Given that copyright wrangles mean it may never get released, Adaptation is a covetable, Indy-worthy treasure in its own right.
Posted May 13, 2009
|
|
5/5
|
Up
(2009)
|
Chris Tilly
|
A near perfect feature, a thrilling combination of humour, pathos, action and drama. Utterly original, endlessly inventive, and brilliantly crafted to appeal to old and young alike, it may well be Pixar's finest feature yet.
Posted May 13, 2009
|
|
3/5
|
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
(2009)
|
Orlando Parfitt
|
Wolverine is fun, enjoyable and occasionally exciting, but 24 hours after you've left the cinema, you might remember as little about the events of the movie as Wolverine himself.
Posted Apr 28, 2009
|
|
3.5/5
|
Outlander
(2008)
|
Chris Tilly
|
An excellent creature feature. A B movie in the best sense of the word, Outlander could teach many of the so-called summer blockbusters a thing or two about character, story and performance.
Posted Apr 24, 2009
|
|
3.5/5
|
Star Trek
(2009)
|
Orlando Parfitt
|
J.J. Abrams gives Kirk and Spock a new lease of life, but the plot is a mess.
Posted Apr 17, 2009
|
|
3.5/5
|
Crank: High Voltage
(2009)
|
Chris Tilly
|
The Stath is pretty much the most bankable name in action movies today, and his unhinged work in High Voltage, indulging in an explosion of murder and mayhem with gusto and glee, should certainly see him retain that title.
Posted Apr 17, 2009
|
>