Moviefone

Moviefone is not a Tomatometer-approved publication. Reviews from this publication only count toward the Tomatometer when written by the following Tomatometer-approved critic(s): Jason Gorber, Jenna Busch, Todd Gilchrist
Rating Title/Year Author
What Men Want (2019) Todd Gilchrist "What Men Want" showcases the kind of mainstream, multiracial comedies that audiences seem to want, but as a vehicle for a talented, hard-working performer like Henson to lead, it's less than she deserves. EDIT
Posted Feb 7, 2019
Alita: Battle Angel (2019) Todd Gilchrist A smart, rousing adventure that resonates unlike almost anything else being made right now, utilizing incredible technology to enhance amazing performances, and eclectic, compelling and sympathetic characters who embody imagination and inspire hope. EDIT
Posted Feb 1, 2019
The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part (2019) Todd Gilchrist "Lego Movie 2" exudes a certain sort of overpowering, sensory-overload charm to muscle its way into audiences' hearts even if afterward their minds may remain a bit discombobulated by the experience. EDIT
Posted Jan 26, 2019
Glass (2019) Todd Gilchrist Not only does Shyamalan seem to have forgotten what made its two predecessors work so well, but he fails to realize that it's his lack of imagination, not audiences', that keeps them from believing in superheroes. EDIT
Posted Jan 9, 2019
The Mule (2018) Todd Gilchrist The filmmaker's reliable professionalism fails to transform one-dimensional characterizations and racial stereotypes into more than a showcase of the filmmaker's own cultural blind spots. EDIT
Posted Dec 14, 2018
Mary Poppins Returns (2018) Todd Gilchrist Mileage may vary on how deeply its story resonates about the beleaguered next generation of Banks children, but buoyant songs and terrific performances from Emily Blunt and others make for an enchanting homage/follow up to the 1964 original. EDIT
Posted Dec 12, 2018
Aquaman (2018) Todd Gilchrist Like with so many movies tasked with introducing unseen worlds and great reams of brand-new mythology, Wan's contribution to the DCEU offers a busy, overpowering deluge of information even if he conjures some stunning, operatic imagery along the way. EDIT
Posted Dec 11, 2018
Bumblebee (2018) Todd Gilchrist But Travis Knight's spin-off/ prequel shrewdly -- and successfully -- sidelines the mechanics and mythology of its predecessors to focus on the changing emotional conditions of its characters. EDIT
Posted Dec 10, 2018
Green Book (2018) Todd Gilchrist It, like the many movies before it about the black-white relations of generations past, will not likely solve the problems of modern racism, but it's still an important reminder that we can always learn new things about and from one another. EDIT
Posted Dec 4, 2018
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) Todd Gilchrist Bolstered by voice performances from a uniquely eclectic cast against a backdrop that defies description, "Spider-Verse" offers a welcome new chapter that intersects and beautifully expands the cinematic mythology of existing Spider-films. EDIT
Posted Dec 4, 2018
Roma (2018) Todd Gilchrist Shot in black and white, starring a nonprofessional actress, and set in a time and place seldom explored in mainstream cinema, "Roma" tells a deeply humane, enchanting story that easily ranks among the best and most indelible of 2018. EDIT
Posted Dec 4, 2018
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018) Todd Gilchrist "Beale Street" is a story of resilience, and perseverance about black people, the ordinary and average, as they try to navigate their way through a society that is -- at best -- indifferent to their place within it. EDIT
Posted Nov 30, 2018
Creed II (2018) Todd Gilchrist "Creed II" elevates the literal and metaphorical challenges of following up improbable success to something meaningful and eventually transcendent of the formulas that it relies upon. EDIT
Posted Nov 16, 2018
Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018) Todd Gilchrist For such a vivid and energetic look inside the internet, directors Rich Moore and Phil Johnston offer a shrewd and surprisingly unsentimental look at the dangers of focusing on just one thing in a world full of endless opportunities to connect. EDIT
Posted Nov 15, 2018
Widows (2018) Todd Gilchrist "Widows" brings to irresistible life the determination, and desperation, of four women struggling to control their own fate within a system built upon, and preoccupied by, its own greed, corruption, and indifference. EDIT
Posted Nov 14, 2018
Boy Erased (2018) Todd Gilchrist Extraordinary, nuanced performances from Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, Edgerton, and especially Lucas Hedges elevates this potential issue-movie melodrama to something much more broadly relevant, humanistic, and -- most of all -- hopeful. EDIT
Posted Oct 31, 2018
Mid90s (2018) Todd Gilchrist A film so committed to accurately portraying the lifestyle and community that it depicts that you wouldn't be surprised if the crew skinned their knees in solidarity with the cast, "Mid90s" oozes not just with period accuracy, but authenticity. EDIT
Posted Oct 22, 2018
First Man (2018) Todd Gilchrist Chazelle's follow-up to "La La Land" is like its predecessor more than the sum of its parts - in this case, ta celebration of the ambition and unity of mankind built on a foundation of individual sacrifice, and in recovery from unimaginable loss. EDIT
Posted Oct 12, 2018
Halloween (2018) Todd Gilchrist David Gordon Green has not only pulled off the unique feat of making a direct sequel to John Carpenter's original, but in making that sense of legacy its thematic cornerstone. EDIT
Posted Oct 10, 2018
Venom (2018) Todd Gilchrist One assumes that the second or third homes Tom Hardy and Michelle Williams purchased with their paychecks was worth the experience of making this misguided, gobsmacking mess. EDIT
Posted Oct 3, 2018
The Predator (2018) Todd Gilchrist A muddled effort that never hits the highs of the (admittedly perfect) original film, though a terrific cast and more than a few clever surprises are sure to keep audiences on their toes (and on the edge of their seats). EDIT
Posted Oct 3, 2018
A Star Is Born (2018) Todd Gilchrist A remarkable, addictive piece of Hollywood myth-making that deserves to be seen on the biggest screen and in the loudest theater possible. EDIT
Posted Oct 3, 2018
Skyscraper (2018) Todd Gilchrist Johnson's sheer force of will makes it a goofy, briskly entertaining experience that combines precipitous heights, claustrophobic environments and lots of fire at the expense of physics, logic or good old fashioned common sense. EDIT
Posted Jul 10, 2018
Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018) Todd Gilchrist Scruffy, understated and fun, the sequel sidesteps just about all of the gravitas left hanging after the events of April's highly-anticipated superhero crossover. EDIT
Posted Jun 27, 2018
Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018) Todd Gilchrist A film that somehow pushes past its predecessor's deliberate sense of pointlessness and futility to highlight the imperceptible but essential differences between good and evil in a political landscape increasingly obfuscated by shades of grey. EDIT
Posted Jun 21, 2018
Incredibles 2 (2018) Todd Gilchrist A sequel that works much better when it's exploring the filmmaker's ideas dramatically than when it's serving as a soapbox for cranky opinions about technology, parenting, and gender roles. EDIT
Posted Jun 11, 2018
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) Todd Gilchrist A film comprised entirely of information whose significance was determined decades ago, "Solo" explores events that shaped Han Solo, but seems actively at war with itself over how much to humanize the most irresistible rogue in the galaxy. EDIT
Posted May 28, 2018
B- Still Alice (2014) Jason Gorber A decent film that's emotionally raw, worth seeing if only to see how one of the masters of her craft single-handedly manages to rescue (along with the help of her castmates) a film from being a maudlin mess into a watchable, moving piece of cinema. EDIT
Posted Jan 30, 2015
A Inherent Vice (2014) Jason Gorber Like waves in the ocean, you have to let this stuff flow over you, man. The film is fuzzy. It's not going to give all it can give on first watch, and for many that will be annoying as hell....One of the best films of the year EDIT
Posted Jan 9, 2015
C Into the Woods (2014) Jason Gorber This may be the version of this musical that fans want, but... for those not predisposed to like this show it's hard to see that the film will sway them to take multiple journeys "Into The Woods" EDIT
Posted Dec 23, 2014
C+ Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014) Jason Gorber "Exodus" may not be the best thing in theatres, but it's decent enough to make it worth your time. It's less dreary and pointless than "Prometheus," for one, and showcases...some of the fun and splendour that Scott has occasionally shown EDIT
Posted Dec 13, 2014
D+ The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 (2014) Jason Gorber I'm not here to mock "Mockingjay Part 1," and can state with confidence that it can only go up from here, (yet) this entire exercise seems merely a hurdle that must be jumped in order to move onto the conclusion. EDIT
Posted Nov 21, 2014
C Big Hero 6 (2014) Jason Gorber My reaction is as mixed as the architecture in this film, and the disappointment is probably couched by what could have been a really interesting, elegant movie. EDIT
Posted Nov 7, 2014
C Interstellar (2014) Jason Gorber At its best, the film is illuminating in the way that "Contact" was, at its worst it's dull, pedantic and overly expositional the way "Contact" was. EDIT
Posted Nov 6, 2014
C+ Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014) Jason Gorber It's pretty plumage that gets ruffled along the way. EDIT
Posted Oct 24, 2014
C The Book of Life (2014) Jason Gorber It's hard to hit that sweet spot, where a kid's film can feel like it has real moments of jeopardy to sate an adult audience without terrifying the younger viewers, and I'm not quite sure the film pulled it off. EDIT
Posted Oct 17, 2014
A- The Double (2013) Jason Gorber This is a smart and sophisticated film to be sure, and its craft has much to applaud, but it's the way that the film is never burdened with an overabundance of dreariness or ennui that helps make it the success that it is. EDIT
Posted Jun 12, 2014
A- Edge of Tomorrow (2014) Jason Gorber For all those that complain they don't make them like they used to, I recommend you get to the biggest screen you can find, buy copious amounts of popcorn, and enjoy this slice of summer movie-going fun. EDIT
Posted Jun 6, 2014
D The Captive (2014) Jason Gorber This is a bit of a lull for this director, and while he continues to explore notions surrounding the loss of a child (a theme consistent with several of his works), it's hard to see that "The Captive" does much to add to his cachet. EDIT
Posted May 26, 2014
A- Neighbors (2014) Jason Gorber One of the funniest films of the year, EDIT
Posted May 9, 2014
A- Locke (2013) Jason Gorber Locke is a terrific little film; despite its closed-in setting, it never feels overtheatrical or contrived...the perfect blend of setting and performance. EDIT
Posted May 2, 2014
A The Raid 2 (2014) Jason Gorber One of the more sophisticated, complex and brutal action films ever made. EDIT
Posted Mar 20, 2014
A- Nymphomaniac: Volume II (2014) Jason Gorber With echoes to his earlier works, an extremely dark sense of humour, and a surprisingly endearing look at his tortured characters, this is most definitely a film worth seeing for those willing to brave the subject matter. EDIT
Posted Mar 20, 2014
A- Nymphomaniac: Volume I (2014) Jason Gorber With echoes to his earlier works, an extremely dark sense of humour, and a surprisingly endearing look at his tortured characters, this is most definitely a film worth seeing for those willing to brave the subject matter. EDIT
Posted Mar 20, 2014