ThatShelf.com

ThatShelf.com 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, Robert Daniels, Shelagh Rowan-Legg
Rating Title/Year Author
A+ () Jason Gorber The most important film of our lifetime,...as fundamental as the first cry of a child entering this world, a clarion call that declares we are here, we are alive, we want to know where the dogs went and just who was responsible for their escape. EDIT
Posted May 1, 2019
The Boy Band Con: The Lou Pearlman Story (2019) Robert Daniels Told in jaw-dropping fashion, the The Lou Pearlman Story follows the famed musical talent scout...to the Harvey Weinstein/Bernie Madoff figure he would ultimately become. EDIT
Posted Mar 15, 2019
() Robert Daniels Jenna Ricker's inspiring documentary Qualified is a testament to the sheer will and courage of [Janet] Guthrie. EDIT
Posted Mar 15, 2019
Booksmart (2019) Robert Daniels Booksmart is a lovingly endearing piece - wickedly funny and adventurous - and a jaw-dropping directorial debut from Olivia Wilde. EDIT
Posted Mar 14, 2019
() Robert Daniels Elliott proves that all that glitters is truly not gold, but one man's trash is surely another man's treasure. EDIT
Posted Mar 11, 2019
() Robert Daniels Who Let the Dogs Out truly tracks the connectivity we have as humans...It's a testament to the personal connection of music and how a communal idea can be shaped to new interpretations and meanings dependent upon said lifestyle or culture. EDIT
Posted Mar 11, 2019
3/4 Blinded by the Light (2019) Robert Daniels Blinded By the Light is one of the most flawed films that still manages to be a great feel-good musical. EDIT
Posted Feb 12, 2019
3.5/4 Monos (2019) Robert Daniels Monos is a Lord of the Flies/Heart of Darkness allegorical epic navigating mountains and jungles to bring a tale of disintegrating alliances and violent upheaval. EDIT
Posted Feb 12, 2019
The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019) Robert Daniels The Last Black Man in San Francisco is an ambitious, jubilant work that portrays the brutal community disintegration caused by gentrification. EDIT
Posted Feb 7, 2019
3/4 Ms. Purple (2018) Robert Daniels Chon's newest film is a tribute to familial responsibility, told from a female perspective. EDIT
Posted Feb 7, 2019
A+ The Lodge (2019) Jason Gorber Franz and Fiala have crafted a bone-chilling film that's a slow burn, its icy flames illuminating the dark crevices of human behaviour, resulting in a work not easily forgotten. EDIT
Posted Jan 31, 2019
A+ Roma (2018) Jason Gorber Roma represents a certain kind of cinematic peak, where on both production and story grounds we're treated to something that nears perfection the way that only the truly great works do. EDIT
Posted Sep 13, 2018
A A Star Is Born (2018) Jason Gorber Great music, great performances, a doomed love story with plenty of heart on display, A Star Is Born really is a triumph, a reminder that sometimes playing the hits can really bring the house down. EDIT
Posted Sep 10, 2018
B- Kursk (2018) Jason Gorber As a conversation starter, a character study and a record of the events Kursk does a decent job of reminding the world of the men lost that day. EDIT
Posted Sep 10, 2018
A If Beale Street Could Talk (2018) Jason Gorber A film that will affect you deeply both emotionally and intellectually. This is great cinema, and it proves unequivocally that Jenkins is one of the great filmmakers of his generation. EDIT
Posted Sep 10, 2018
Mouthpiece (2018) Jason Gorber A moving, warm film that neither pulls its punches nor revels in misanthropy, MOUTHPIECE is an exceptional work, one that feels very much a perfect vehicle for the best of Rozema's craft and proclivities. EDIT
Posted Sep 7, 2018
Wild Grass (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg A glorious mix of comedy and fantasy, Resnais is improving with age, creating characters that probably are a reflection of his view on the world, with his experience and charm. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
The Vintner's Luck (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg But ultimately the film, like a vintage bottle, is left too long and turns to vinegar. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Fish Tank (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg Arnold's script and camera close in and tear apart ideas of the poor, youth, and what makes a good man. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Bright Star (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg In a world where only Hollywood cinematic romance is acceptable, it is a risk that pays off. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Solomon Kane (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg Bassett brings to the screen Solomon Kane...with all due seriousness and gravity, as apparently befits the character. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Air Doll (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg Even the climactic conclusion, while interesting enough, failed to resonate the way Koreeda's other films have. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Rec 2 (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg There are fewer frightening moments [than the original], but the ones that do come are all the more frightening from the build-up of tension. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Leslie, My Name Is Evil (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg Complemented by solid performances by the rest of the cast, Harkema creates a campy yet believable society. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
A Town Called Panic (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg Bizarre and sophisticated enough for adults and children, A Town Called Panic makes you want to live in an upside-down house occupied by a horse. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Enter the Void (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg This is not necessarily a film to love or hate though. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
White Material (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg Denis creates both sympathy for and anger at Marie. She is not a stereotypical colonial overlord, yet her insistence on remaining borders on madness. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
TiMER (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg A romantic comedy (with a dash of science fiction) that will certainly appeal to single women, the film is very original in concept, if not so much in execution. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Cargo (2010) Shelagh Rowan-Legg While it comes close to cliche, Cargo is still an effective film. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Amer (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg These directors succeed by creating a film which needs no plot in order to keep the viewer haunted and fascinated. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Heartless (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg Ridley lets the darkness permeate the space and filter into his characters, who are unable to prevent their own hearts from being eaten alive. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Macabre (2013) Shelagh Rowan-Legg The directors crank up the tension at just the right pace to keep the adrenaline pumping. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Doghouse (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg [Doghouse] certainly adds a fun new twist to the becoming-tired-at-lightning-speed zombie subgenre. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Breathless (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg A triumphant and intense debut. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Shadow Play: The Making of Anton Corbijn (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg Overall it is clear that for director Josh Whiteman this film is a labor of love. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Sherlock Holmes (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg [The director's] style works well with the script, which is, while perhaps not the most engaging story, interesting and fun enough to sustain the film. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Daybreakers (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg Michael and Peter Spierig have created a fascinating and chillingly believable possible future. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Nowhere Boy (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg Nowhere Boy ends up being a rather play-by-play biopic, saved by good performances and a great soundtrack. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage (2010) Shelagh Rowan-Legg As a film, there is little that is interesting or imaginative. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg The film's almost constant tight focus on the mystery kept my palms sweating and my mind racing to try to interpret the clues myself. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Disco and Atomic War (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg The film uses Kimli's personal story and his family's almost daily risk of arrest in an irreverent manner to look at the larger story of the USSR's hopeless attempt to control the hearts and minds of its citizens. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
The Parking Lot Movie (2010) Shelagh Rowan-Legg The film is incredibly entertaining, managing to turn a seemingly mundane job into a source of philosophical thought and social experiment. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
David Wants to Fly (2010) Shelagh Rowan-Legg The film is an odd and yet engaging combination of personal discovery and doc investigation. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
The Peddler (2010) Shelagh Rowan-Legg The directors keep Burmeister in focus, but also his interactions with the community and the effect he has on them, as though he is a strange lightening rod for their energy. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Blank City (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg The film is brilliantly edited, cutting between interviews, clips from the films, and archival footage of clubs and parties. The aesthetics reflect the strange world she is examining. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields (2010) Shelagh Rowan-Legg Generally, any documentary about an artist is either going to be a labour of love or an exposé. This film certainly falls into the former category, particularly considering the time and care used to make it. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Splice (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg [Director Natali] treads the fine line of a film that is just believable enough to get the audience's attention, and sci-fi enough for us to think this could never happen. Or could it? EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Suck (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg Stefaniuk's directorial strengths lie in his creation of aesthetic...and mood. When the film is not self-conscious, it is extremely funny and while the subtext is noticeable, it's not overwhelming. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
This Movie Is Broken (2010) Shelagh Rowan-Legg As a concert film, This Movie is Broken is a great tribute that should find its way into the ranks of other great concert films. As a love story, the film only partially succeeds. EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018
Black Lightning (2009) Shelagh Rowan-Legg There is not necessarily anything very new in this film...However, this does not make it boring. On the contrary, its particular Russian take on the genre keeps it exciting EDIT
Posted May 18, 2018